True Love Never Dies
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU. At his parents' funeral, Damon Salvatore meets a mysterious woman. When they encounter each other again a year later, Damon learns her name is Elena and she is in fact a vampire.
1. Chapter 1

**True Love Never Dies**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Yeah, I'm doing yet another twist on the Delena tale. It's an AU, of course, and Damon and Stefan are humans, while Elena and Katherine are vampires. Don't ask, because I don't even know where the idea came from. No spoilers, just follow along.**_

**Chapter 1**

_Mystic Falls Cemetery, 1 Year Ago..._

Damon Salvatore looked at the caskets in front of him and tried not to let his emotions show. It was hard to believe that they were really gone. His parents, two of the most important people in his young life, were gone. Hell, everything else was gone too. Gone were the family movie nights, his mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies, his father playing the piano and leading the family in a sing along every Saturday night, eveything.

"Damon, are you okay? You look you're miles away."

The voice of his girlfriend, Caroline Forbes, brought Damon out of his reverie. He forced a smile and replied, "It's nothing. I'm just stressed out, what with the funeral and all." He sighed and turned to walk away from her, saying, "I need to be alone. I'll see you at the house."

Before Caroline could stop him, Damon walked away, passing millions upon millions of other stones in the cemetery. He couldn't believe this. He was seventeen years old and his whole world was falling in around him. Nobody should be suffering a loss as big as this. It was true that the child should bury his parents, but that usually wasn't until much later, when said child was married and had his own family, not when he was a teenager and struggling to get through life.

It wasn't long until Damon came to a grave located at the far side of the cemetery. Sitting down in front of it, Damon took out a cigarette and lit it up, taking a drag and exhaled a thick, white cloud of smoke.

"You really shouldn't be doing that, you know. You'll die a hell of a lot faster that way."

Damon was then startled by a voice and then looked to see a young woman standing there, wearing a black dress and matching pumps, as though she were among the mourners at his parents' funeral and he hadn't really paid much attention.

"What do you care?" he replied. "My life is already meaningless anyway. I mean, I shouldn't have to deal with this bullshit! It's too soon! Seventeen is too young to be burying one's parents. I should be burying them when I'm much older!"

The woman shook her head. "I don't think your life is meaningless. As a matter of fact, I think your life has some meaning."

"Do you?" said Damon. "You don't even know me, so how the hell do you know that my life has meaning?"

"You don't remember, do you?"

Damon blinked. "Remember what?"

"Surviving the accident," said the woman. "You really don't remember any of it, do you?"

Damon scowled at her. "Why is that even an issue? So what if I don't remember any of it? In case if you haven't noticed, I've been in mourning for the past several days prior to this funeral, so yeah, maybe I just blocked it all out to make myself feel better." He snuffed out the cigarette with his foot and stood up. "By the way, I'm..."

"Damon Salvatore? Yes, I know who you are," said the woman. "I've been watching you for some time now."

As she finished her speech, she looked at Damon and smiled. He was gorgeous, with short, sleek black hair and dazzling blue eyes that a girl would have to be blind and stupid not to notice, a body that looked like it was made for hours of passionate, primal sex, and lips she wanted to kiss.

"What's your name, since we're introducing ourselves?"

"Oh no, you're not getting my name that easily," said the woman. "You'll know my name soon, but not right now."

"Is that so?" said Damon. "And when will be the right time to know your name?"

"Not long, about a year," said the woman. "Until then, try to stay out of trouble."

Damon nodded as he got a closer look at the woman. She long, beautiful dark brown hair, sensuous brown eyes, a body that he wanted to caress as he made love to her, and lips that were ideal for kissing and nibbling. He nodded when she told him to stay out of trouble and before Damon could say anything further, she was gone.

_**Note: Yes, I did it again. And in case you're wondering, the woman Damon's talking to is Elena.**_

_**Enjoy! What do you think?**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: YAY! Seven reviews, that is so epic! Just for that, I'm going to update "True Love Never Dies." Thank you so much for the great reviews so far, guys! No spoilers, except the action takes place a year later.**_

_Salvatore Boarding House – A year later..._

Zach Salvatore went about making breakfast. He had been the legal guardian for Damon and Stefan shortly after the death of their parents, and although he had come into the task blindly, he was getting used to it little by little. The boys had their moments, but they liked having him around. At least Damon did. Stefan, however, was hard to read at times.

Speaking of Damon, he was seen entering the kitchen, partially dressed in his football uniform, just his jersey and shoulder pads. Even though he hadn't exactly been himself for the past year, he still managed to make it to practice. Of course, those had been kind of awkward lately, since he and Caroline broke up over the summer. They were still friends, but it didn't make it any easier.

"Hey, Zach."

Zach smiled at him. "Hey, Damon." Not seeing Stefan anywhere, he added, "Where's your brother? Thought for sure I called him at least ten times."

"Beats me," said Damon. "I walked by his room a few minutes ago, and I didn't hear any movement coming from it."

Zach shook his head. "Jesus, did he sneak out last night again? If he did, he'd better not come home, because I'm going to give him such a piece of my mind that..."

"That what, Zach?"

Zach and Damon turned to see Stefan coming toward them. Stefan was starting his junior year at Mystic Falls High, just like Damon was starting his senior year. And, also like Damon, Stefan had been hit hard by his parents' death, and he'd been sneaking out at all hours of the night, hanging with the wrong crowd. No matter what Zach or Damon tried to tell him, it was like it was in one ear, out the other.

"Oh, _there_ you are," said Zach. "I've been calling you to get your lazy ass out of bed." He looked at his eyes. "Just as I thought, your eyes are glassy. Damn it, I knew that Tyler Lockwood was no good the moment I laid eyes on him."

"He's my friend, Zach," said Stefan. "Look, I don't give a shit if you disapprove of who I hang out with, but this is how I've been coping with Mom and Dad's death." He grabbed a strawberry Pop Tart from the cabinet. "I'm out of here."

"Stefan, get back here," said Zach. "I'm not finished talking to you!"

"Tough shit, because I am," said Stefan. "Bye, Zach."

Zach watched Stefan walk off and then looked at Damon, shaking his head. "What am I going to do? I feel like I've done everything I can for him, but Stefan refuses to budge even the slightest inch."

"I know how you feel, Zach, I've tried the same thing," said Damon. "Stefan's going to do what he's going to do. We just have to hope that he wakes up and realizes he's doing more harm than good."

Zach raised an eyebrow. "How did _you_ turn out to be the good one? After all, you were in the car with Guiseppe and Elisabetta, and you lived to tell the tale. If you were traumatized, I don't see it."

"I _am_, Zach," said Damon. "I just choose not to _show_ it." He ate the piece of toast on the plate before him and drank some orange juice, grabbing a $20 bill off the counter when he was finished. "I'll see you later. And don't worry so much about Stefan. He'll come around...eventually."

With that, he grabbed his helmet and his bag with extra clothes to change out after practice. Coach Turner was on the war path and wanted to have a perfect season this year, since a majority of the players on the team were in their senior year, Damon included, and a lot of scouts from various colleges would be showing up to look for potential talent to add to their rosters come next fall.

_Mystic Falls High School – Later..._

Damon sighed as he came out of the locker room after practice, dressed in the clothes he brought with him. While it wasn't a permanent fix, he was able to escape the emotional stress that he had been facing the past year. Still, it was great to feel the adrenaline course through him, and it would keep him pumped for the next few hours or so.

"There you are, Damon."

Damon turned and saw Caroline coming toward him. She was still as beautiful as ever, even if they weren't dating anymore. "Oh, hi, Caroline."

"I've been worried about you," she said. "I may not be your girlfriend anymore, but I'm still your friend and friends worry about each other." She sighed. "How have you been?"

"Hanging in there, I guess," said Damon. "Though, Stefan has been dealing with it differently than I have."

"Yeah, I know," said Caroline. "I saw him with Tyler and Vicki by the dumpsters. Can't you do something? You're his big brother. He's always looked up to you."

"What can I do?" said Damon. "If he wants to associate with those idiots, it's his loss. Zach is at his wit's end and we can only hope that he gets his act together before he winds up either in jail or dead. In fact, I'm surprised he's even allowed to come back. His grades were horrendous last year. Guess his teachers feel sorry for him."

He didn't give Caroline a chance to reply, because he then saw a mysterious girl walking down to the principal's office. Not sure what this was about, Damon followed her and watched as she walked in. Strange, he didn't hear anything about new students coming in. Still, the girl looked strangely familiar, like he had seen her before, a dream or something.

He told himself not to stare, but when was the last time someone new walked into school? To his knowledge, probably not until now. Finally, he forced himself to walk away, knowing that he'd probably meet the new girl soon enough, perhaps sooner than he thought.

_Cafeteria, Lunch Time..._

The cafeteria was packed, as it usually was at this time, and Damon had to look until he found a table that didn't look too crowded and sat down. It wasn't that he didn't like associating with the other students, he did, he just didn't feel like talking about the accident again and again. Seriously, when were those damn questions going to stop? It happened last year, for crying out loud. Did those assholes have better things to talk about?

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Startled, Damon looked up and saw the girl from the office. Smiling, he said, "Uh, no, no, go right ahead." He watched her sit down. "Let me guess, first day jitters?"

"No," she replied. "I saw you sitting by yourself and thought I'd join you." She noticed his quizzical look. "Don't worry, I'm not going to ask you about your parents." _Even though I already know, _she added in her mind.

"Thanks," said Damon. "By the way, I'm Damon. What's your name?"

The girl smiled. "Elena. Elena Pierce."

"Nice to meet you, Elena," said Damon, smiling because he liked her name. "So, did you just move to Mystic Falls?"

"You could say that, yes," said Elena. "Say, were you spying on me earlier? I could've sworn I felt like there were eyes outside the office."

"Spying?" said Damon. "No, I wasn't. I was just curious to see what was going on, that's all."

Elena nodded, not exactly believing him, but decided not to press the issue. "So, who was that blonde you were talking to? Is she your girlfriend?"

Damon laughed slightly. "Well, well, _now_ who's the spy? Actually, that was my _ex_-girlfriend, Caroline. We parted on good terms, and we're still good friends. She and I were talking about my brother, who's alienated himself from me and has been hanging with the wrong crowd. My uncle is worried about him, thinking he's failed as a guardian."

Elena nodded. She knew all too well what having a rotten sibling was like. Her twin sister, Katherine, was no angel herself. She had been causing havoc ever since the two of them became what they were now. Thankfully, the two hadn't seen each other in well over five hundred years, the last time being in Florence, Italy, in 1492, the year they were turned. They had been seventeen at the time, and quite new to the ways of the vampire world. They had been turned by a female vampire named Rose, but sadly, they had lost contact with her and wondered if she was even still alive.

"Elena, are you okay? You got quiet all of a sudden."

Elena was brought out of her reverie by Damon's concerned voice. God, he was such a kind soul, which was why she had returned. She wanted to know him better, knowing the risk behind it, not giving a shit if he looked like a man she loved over five hundred years ago, an Italian count that just so happened to be his ancestor, Rodrigo di Salvatore.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Elena. "I was just taking everything in."

Damon nodded, though he didn't seem to believe her, but he changed the subject. "Listen, uh, would you like to go with me to the pep rally in the woods this Friday night? There's going to be a bonfire and everything."

Elena smiled. She couldn't believe her luck. She hadn't expected Damon to ask her on a date this quickly, but who was she to object?

"Sure, I'd love to," she said. "Should we meet at your place?"

"Sure," said Damon. "Unless there was something wrong with your place?"

"No, not at all," said Elena. "You can pick me up at my place if you'd like. My family lives in the suburbs."

"Great," said Damon. "I'll pick you at, oh say, 6:30, 7:00?"

"Sounds perfect," said Elena. "Should I wear a dress?"

"No, it's casual," said Damon. "It's not a dance or anything, just a little gathering to get the Timberwolves all psyched for their upcoming game."

"Well, I'm definitely looking forward to it," said Elena. "And it was a pleasure meeting you, Damon. You're a really great guy, and if you don't mind me saying, that Caroline was a fool to let you go."

"It was a mutual thing, actually," said Damon. "We both agreed it wasn't working out, but then again, I suppose she was sort of foolish. The way she looks at me sometimes, it's as if the spark we had is still there. But, the only thing I can offer her is friendship, and I think she's starting to understand that now."

Elena nodded. Good, at least she didn't have to worry about competition. Girls like Caroline eventually found new guys to latch onto and it was only a matter of time before Caroline moved on.

_**Note: I know, this is a long chapter, but I had a lot to add. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Okay, I just got an idea for this next chapter of "True Love Never Dies," and I wanted to go forward with it. Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are the best! No spoilers, just follow along.**_

_Later that Day..._

Elena sighed as she pulled her car up to the driveway of the old house in the suburbs that she had rebuilt and, thanks to a little help from a witch named Lucy, she didn't have to worry about being invited in. Today was an interesting day to say the least. She had met Damon again after a year, even though he hadn't figured out that she was the mysterious girl he met at the cemetery. Then again, she didn't blame him, considering how he probably had other things on his mind, and she told herself that he'd remember her eventually.

Sighing again, Elena walked inside the house and placed her keys on the table by the door. She then proceeded into the living room, the first thing catching her eye was the painting of the dashing Count Rodrigo di Salvatore, her first great love. She didn't know why she still had it, but Elena considered herself a sentimental vampire, and her heart still ached for him. Looking at Damon today reminded her of him, since it was almost as though they were identical twins born five hundred years apart.

Her eyes still locked on the painting, Elena sat on the couch and poured herself some wine, sighing again as a memory hit her, one of her favorite memories to be exact:

_Bathchamber of Count Rodrigo di Salvatore – Florence, Italy, 1492..._

_Elena panted as she felt a wave of pleasure hit her at all fronts, her body tingling as Rodrigo ran his hands across her every curve, kissing her neck and then down to the valley between her breasts, sending a shiver up her spine._

"_You were definitely anxious to see me tonight, my love," he whispered against her breast as his hot breath made contact with her skin. "What troubles you so?"_

"_The fact that they'll find out about our little affair."_

"_Then, let them find out," said Rodrigo. "I tire of this pretense. I don't care, because I will make a fine countess out of you, Elena." He kissed her breast again. "I can think of no better lady to have at my side, and no better mother for my future heirs."_

_Elena pulled back then. "But, I am not like the other women. What makes me so special?"_

"_I think we both know the answer to that," said Rodrigo. "It's because you're not like the other women that makes me desire you." He made her meet his eyes. "Do you doubt my love for you, Elena? I prove it to you every night."_

"_Oh, Rodrigo, do not misunderstand me, I do no doubt your love for me," said Elena. "I guess I fear they will try to make you marry a woman they deem worthy of you."_

"_I'll refuse her," said Rodrigo. "You are the only woman I deem worthy of me. I knew from the moment I saw you by the fountain in the courtyard. Elena Petrova, Countess di Salvatore. That has a ring to it, do you not agree?"_

_Elena went to say something, but decided against it. Instead, she placed both of her hands on Rodrigo's face and pulled him to her, capturing his lips in a scorching kiss that seemed to set both their souls on fire._

Elena then heard a meowing sound, which brought her out of her reverie. Looking over, she saw a black cat. Funny, she didn't see a cat following her into the house when she got in. Elena then caught a familiar scent in the air, a scent that she thought she would never smell again.

"Katherine. What an unpleasant surprise."

As if on cue, Elena's twin appeared in place of the cat, a sly smirk on her face. "Hello, Elena. I wasn't interrupting anything important, was I?"

"It's been five hundred years, Katherine."

"Really?" said Katherine. "Well, well, I guess time flies when you're having fun."

Elena scowled. "What are you doing here, Katherine? Small towns aren't your style. You'll get bored easily and when you're bored, you'll start killing people, and I can't have that, not again. That's why I got as far away from you as I could the second we were turned."

"A better question would be what you are doing here, sister," said Katherine. "But, then again, I guess I already know the answer. Damon." She smiled at the painting Elena had been looking at before. "He's a dead ringer for Rodrigo. Same hair, same eyes, same body. What a sentimental little girl you are, Elena." Not giving her sister a chance to reply, she quickly added, "Relax, he's not why I'm here."

"No?" said Elena. "Who _are_ you here for?"

"His brother."

"Stefan?" said Elena. "Katherine, no, he's a fragile boy. He wouldn't be able to take another blow to his heart. Bad enough he's dealing with his parents' death in a negative way, but if you play with his emotions, he'll never recover."

Katherine laughed. "You think I'm going to hurt him? Elena, you wound me. I have no intention of playing with him. I plan on showing him pleasures the likes of which he's never known, and has_ yet_ to know."

"He's still fragile," said Elena. "Damon told me their uncle is at his wits' end."

Katherine smiled. "And Damon _isn't_ fragile? Correct me if I'm wrong, but he was in the car when his parents perished, was he not?"

"Don't change the subject on me, Katherine," said Elena. "I'm only warning you this one time. Stay away from Stefan. I don't give a shit _what_ your intentions are."

Katherine laughed again and, extending her fangs, lunged at Elena, but missed by mere inches because Elena was too quick for her twin, dodging her attack in time and jumping up, attaching herself to the ceiling. Katherine looked up and hissed.

"Impressive, Elena, you've learned some new tricks since we last saw each other," she said. "But, I haven't changed my mind about Stefan. I'll make him forget all about his sorrow, maybe even turn him, if things go smoothly."

Hearing that made Elena extend her own fangs and flew down from the ceiling, knocking Katherine to the ground, placing her hand tightly around her twin's throat. "Don't piss me off, Katherine! I swear to God, if you piss me, it'll be the last mistake you'll ever make!"

Katherine wasn't fazed by this. Instead, she laughed and kicked Elena off of her, making her land ungracefully by the fire place. Getting to her feet, Katherine retracted her fangs and watched her sister getting up as well.

"This has been fun and all, Elena, but I'm afraid I grow weary of our little tussel. Besides, we both want to be presentable when we attend that pep rally in the woods Friday night."

Elena blinked. "How the hell did you know about that?"

"Cat form, remember?" said Katherine. "I can use her to spy on people. That's how I knew." She smiled. "I can't wait to finally meet Damon. I'm curious to see if he's as deliciously alluring as Rodrigo was."

Not giving Elena a chance to reply, Katherine walked away, hoping to find a room upstairs. Elena growled as she watched her twin leave. Why the hell did she have to come to town? And why was she so interested in Stefan? She doubted anything good would come of it, especially not when Katherine was involved.

_**Note: There you have it, guys, Chapter 3 of "True Love Never Dies." Uh oh, looks like Katherine has made herself at home. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Thought I'd go ahead with the next chapter of "True Love Never Dies," having gotten an idea for it earlier. Thank you for your reviews so far! You guys rock! No spoilers, except the action in this chapter takes place the day of the pep rally, and let's just say things are about to get interesting.**_

_Mystic Falls High School – Friday Morning..._

Caroline walked down the hall toward the art room, where she had been working on banners for the pep rally since the beginning of the week. In fact, she skipped Spirit Squad practice just so she could put some finishing touches on one of the banners. She arrived at the room and when she opened the room, she saw someone standing there with their back to her. It was a guy, which was evident by the facial hair.

Sighing, she whispered to herself, "Please be hot, please be hot."

As if he heard her, the man turned around and to her surprise, he was gorgeous, with short, slightly curly dark blonde hair, greenish blue eyes she could lose herself in, a body that was made for hours of passionate, primal sex that was practically hugged by the black shirt and dark blue jeans he was wearing, and lips she was tempted to kiss and nibble.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know you were in here."

"Oh, don't apologize," he replied. "I just got here today and I was setting up for class."

That's when Caroline realized that a new art teacher was supposed to be starting this week, but she never imagined it would be today. "Oh, well, uh, welcome to Mystic Falls, Mr..."

"Mikaelson, but you can call me Klaus."

Caroline smiled in spite of herself. Shit, he even had a sexy name to go with that body, and his thick British accent made her heart skip a beat. "Okay, Klaus. I'm Caroline Forbes."

Klaus returned her smile and he checked the roster. "Ah, yes, you're in my class third period. You are a bit early, though."

"Oh, I wasn't here for class," said Caroline. "I was here because I'm working on banners for the pep rally tonight, and I was hoping to put some finishing touches on a few of them." She sighed. "Though, I don't think I even want to go this year."

"No?" said Klaus. "Why? Aren't you part of the Spirit Squad?"

"The captain, yes," said Caroline. "But, you see, my ex-boyfriend is going to be there, and it's going to be a bit awkward because he'll have a new girl there as his date, a girl he just met." She shook her head. "Oh, what am I telling you this for? I don't even know you and I'm pouring my heart out to you."

"Would it be less awkward if you had a date?"

Caroline blinked. "Who could I get at such short notice?" Not letting Klaus answer, she added, "Wait, are you...but, Klaus, you don't have to volunteer out of pity, especially since we barely know each other. I'm not looking for a rebound."

"I'm not doing this out of pity," said Klaus. "I'm doing this because I'm a gentleman, and this is what gentlemen do." He smiled at her. "I know you think I'm out of line for asking you like this, but I just want you to have fun at the pep rally." He approached her and lifted her hand, kissing her knuckles. "And I would be honored to be your date."

Caroline couldn't help but smile herself. Even though part of her still loved Damon, something told her that she'd be a fool not to move on. It wouldn't be healthy to hang on to the past, especially not if Damon was interested in someone else.

"Very well, Klaus, you can be my date."

Klaus smiled as well. "Thank you." Curiously, he added, "Should I pick you up at your house? You must forgive me, it's been a while since I was on a date."

"You mean you've never even had a girlfriend?"

Klaus didn't answer her. Truth was, he did a girlfriend, the up and coming news reporter Andie Star. However, he lost her tragically two years ago, when she had been shot while covering a story in a dangerous neighborhood, a story he had begged her not to cover but she told him she'd be careful. When he got the call about the shooting, he went to the hospital to be with her, only for it to be the last time she'd look at him. What made it more tragic was that Klaus had been planning to propose to her. When Andie died, all of his plans were shattered.

Caroline looked at him, noticing how quiet he had gotten. "Klaus, are you okay?"

Klaus looked at her. "I'm fine, just deep in thought." Clearing his throat, he added, "I'll let you go about your task, since you probably have a lot to do."

"Klaus..."

Klaus placed his index finger on her lips to shush her. "I shall see you later, Caroline."

With that, he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Caroline watched him leave and couldn't help but be concerned about him, even though it was probably something that was personal and he didn't want her to know, at least not now.

_Don't force him to tell you anything, Caroline, _she thought. _He'll tell you when he's ready. Until then, it's best to bide your time._

_Elsewhere..._

Damon walked into his first class, which was History and was surprised to see Elena sitting in the desk next to his. The surprise was soon replaced by a smile as he approached her and sat in his desk.

"Hey."

Elena looked at him and smiled. "Hi."

Damon noticed that her smile faded as soon as she greeted him, his own fading out of concern. "Are you okay, Elena?"

"I'd be lying if I said yes, so I won't," said Elena. "See, my sister is in town and she has a bit of a bad reputation, the kind of reputation that makes your brother's friends seem like lambs in comparison." She sighed. "Speaking of your brother, I'm worried about him."

"What does your sister being in town have to do with Stefan?"

"Katherine is the kind of girl that likes to bend a guy to her will," said Elena. "I don't want Stefan to get hurt should she have her way with him. You told me that he hasn't been handling your parents' death very well for the past year, and I'm afraid of the condition Katherine will leave him in once she's through having her fun with him."

"Wait, when did Katherine get here?"

"The same day I did. She was living somewhere else and got redistricted."

Damon blinked. He didn't get it, but decided not to press the issue. "Do you think she'll be at the pep rally tonight?"

Elena sighed. "I don't know, I hope not." She gently placed her hand on top of his. "I'm sorry, Damon. I know how important tonight is to you, and now, you're going to be worrying about your brother the whole night."

"Elena, it's not your fault," said Damon. "You were just answering my question." He sighed and placed his other hand on top of the one she placed on his. "In any case, making sure you have a good time tonight will be my top priority."

Elena blinked, not sure what to say to that. Before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and kissed him. Damon was surprised at first, but the initial shock wore off after a few seconds and returned the kiss. He didn't know why, but kissing Elena was better than all the times he and Caroline kissed. After a few minutes, he reluctantly pulled away, breaking the kiss, his blue eyes meeting Elena's brown eyes.

"Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you did great," said Damon. "I was just surprised that you kissed so well."

"I guess you're the guy that every girl likes to kiss," said Elena. "And I wanted to show the other girls that I've marked my territory." She sighed. "Damon, there's something I really need to tell you." She saw the other students walking in. "But, not here, at the pep rally, where we'll have privacy. It's something I wanted to tell you since the other day, but it wasn't the right time."

Damon tilted his head curiously. He wondered what Elena wanted to tell him, but decided not to pressure her. He told himself to bide his time and wait until they were alone at the pep rally before asking her.

_**Note: Chapter 4 of "True Love Never Dies" is complete. Thought I'd include Klaus as well, except he's human and not a vampire. Caroline is going to remain human as well. Next chapter will be the pep rally, and things will get even more interesting for those involved.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Hey, guys, I just got inspired to do this new chapter of "True Love Never Dies" after watching a clip from 1x02, "Night of the Comet," the scene where Damon and Elena met for the first time. I thought I'd do a twist on that scene. No spoilers, just follow along. Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, I really appreciate it!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – Later on..._

Damon inhaled deeply as he pulled up to Elena's house that evening. It was quite a beautiful home, to say the least, and it brought a smile to his face, mostly because she was living in such a place, and he wondered if her family was just as rich as his. He got out of his car and went up to the front door, going to knock, but the door opened by itself. That was weird, doors normally didn't open on their own like that. Deciding not to worry about it, Damon stepped inside the house.

"Elena? Are you home?"

No answer. He thought for sure she'd be here, since he saw her car in the driveway as he pulled up. As he was looking around, Damon saw a black cat scurry by him, startling him slightly, and when he looked to see where the cat had gone, a girl appeared in her place. What the hell? This was just getting better and better.

"I'm sorry, the door was open and I just walked in."

The girl smiled at him. "You must be Damon. I'm Katherine, Elena's sister."

Damon nodded. "Yeah, she mentioned you were in town. Where did you live before you got redistricted? I don't mean to be nosy or anything, but..."

"No, it's quite all right," said Katherine. "The place I lived before was nothing like Mystic Falls, that's for sure." She motioned for him to follow her. "Come, follow me. I'm sure Elena will be along any second."

Damon followed her to the living room and was in awe of the décor. Shit, and he thought the boarding house had interesting things laying around. "Wow, is this really your living room? It's almost as nice as the one at my house."

Katherine smiled. "Yeah, well, it's a little fancy for my taste. Then again, Elena and I differ somewhat in what we think passes for good taste." She smiled at Damon. "I can see why my sister is so smitten with you. I'm happy for her, since it's about time she had someone new in her life. I mean, especially after what happened with the last one. Poor thing, I thought she'd die of a broken heart."

"Wait, last one?"

"Oh, I guess you haven't discussed your exes yet, huh?"

"She knows about my ex, Caroline, but Elena never mentioned having an ex herself."

"I see," said Katherine. "Well, I guess she didn't want to tell you about him because she didn't want to divulge too much information at once, since you two are just starting out and everything. That and she didn't want you think she was on the rebound. Then again, I suppose that if you haven't discussed him yet, he's sure to come up now."

"Who was he?"

"Elena's ex?"

Damon nodded. "Yeah, what was his name?"

"Rodrigo," said Katherine. "The love Elena had for him spoke volumes, and he loved her just as fiercely." She sighed. "As I said before, Elena didn't want you to think she was on the rebound, since those kinds of relationships never really work out."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "You make love sound so tragic."

"What can I say, Damon?" said Katherine. "I'm something of a fatalist." She didn't take her eyes off Damon as she said, "Hello, Elena."

Damon turned around and saw Elena standing there, dressed in a burgundy camisole top and black pants, complete with a new pair of black boots. Her hair was half tied back, half loose and she wore just enough make-up to make herself look decent.

"Am I overdressed?"

Damon smiled. "No, you look great." He looked over his shoulder at Katherine. "Katherine was just keeping me company until you came down." He cleared his throat. "Shall we go?"

Elena nodded. "Yes, we shall." She grabbed her leather jacket to really complete her ensemble. "I must've changed outfits three times since I got home."

Damon smiled again and took her arm, turning back toward Katherine. "It was great meeting you, Katherine."

"Likewise, Damon. I'll see you two later."

Elena scowled at Katherine, knowing what she meant by that. Instead of replying, she turned to Damon and they walked out of the house. Katherine watched them leave and then went upstairs to change into something suitable for when she met Stefan.

_**Note: Yeah, I know, cliffhanger, but I promise, Chapter 6 will include the pep rally, as well as Elena's confession to Damon, and some Klaroline and Steferine scenes. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Okay, guys, I've been playing around with the idea for this next chapter of "True Love Never Dies," and I'm going to go ahead with it now. Thank you for all the reviews so far. You guys are great! No spoilers, just follow along.**_

_The Woods – Later..._

The pep rally was in full swing, with the Spirit Squad leading in the cheers to give the team the boost they needed for their upcoming game. Caroline did her best not to let anything distract her from her duties as captain, not even Damon's date. After the main part of the evening was done, all of the students gathered around the bonfire and began to really enjoy themselves, drinking, dancing, and getting down, since it was Friday night and the start of the weekend, which meant that they didn't have to worry about school the next day and could party hard.

In the midst of the rowdy celebrating, Damon and Elena broke away from the crowd and went off to find a place where they could be alone. When they were a good distance away from everyone, Damon gently pushed against the trunk of a tree, took her face in his hands, and kissed her passionately. Elena returned his kiss willingly, running her hands up and down his body, feeling his muscles as they tingled under her fingers. Shit, he could definitely kiss, that was for sure, and she found herself falling for him, and falling hard. He might not be Rodrigo, but he certainly was just as handsome. No, scratch that, Damon was sexy.

Pulling away to break the kiss, she said, "Damon, we need to talk."

Damon gave her a quizzical look as he massaged her cheeks with his thumbs. "Now? But, Elena, aren't you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, I am enjoying myself. I'm having a great time," said Elena. "It's just that I wanted to tell you something very important." She kissed his cheek. "It's not that I don't want to do this, Damon, I do, but I have to get this off my chest."

Damon sighed. "All right, what did you need to tell me?"

"This isn't going to be easy for me to say this, so I'm just going to say it. Damon, do you remember that girl you met at the cemetery the day of your parents' funeral?"

Damon raised an eyebrow, not sure where she was going with this. "I think so. The details of that day are a bit vague, since I was trying to be brave for Stefan."

"But, you do remember the girl?"

"Yeah, she looked a lot like you," said Damon. "But, I don't see what that has to..."

"Damon, that was me," said Elena. "I was the girl you met at the cemetery that day. I was hoping that you would remember when we met the other day, but because you probably had other things to think about, our encounter was an afterthought."

"I thought you looked familiar, but I couldn't place it until now," said Damon. "God, Elena, I'm sorry that I didn't remember you right away." He kissed her softly. "But, I'm glad you told me. I was wondering if I'd ever see you again."

Elena smiled against his lips, returning his kiss. "That's not all, though."

"There's more?"

"I'm afraid so," said Elena. "You know that man Katherine told you about, Rodrigo?"

"Yeah, she told me you were in love with him, and he with you," said Damon. "But, what I don't get is, how is it that you knew him? He died long before you were born. Not to mention he was my ancestor."

"I knew him because I was around when he was alive," said Elena. "Damon, I'm not eighteen. Truth is, I'm well over five hundred years old."

Damon backed away a bit. "Five hundred years old? Elena, what the hell is going on here?"

Elena looked at him. "Perhaps showing you would be better than telling you." She closed her eyes and when she opened them, they went from brown to a demonic black and opened her mouth to reveal a set of fangs. "This is what I really am, Damon. I'm a vampire. I was turned in 1492, the time I said I knew Rodrigo."

"And Katherine, is she..."

Elena nodded. "Yes. In fact, she turned me." She then retracted her fangs and her eyes returned to their brown color. "I'm sorry, Damon, but I couldn't keep it from you." She slowly approached him and placed her hands on his face. "I want this to work, I really do. I've fallen hard for you, Damon, and..."

"Is it because I remind you of Rodrigo?" said Damon. "I mean, I look like him."

"No, Damon, that's not it at all," said Elena. "You're not like Rodrigo, even though you may resemble him. Rodrigo, while he was passionate in the bedroom, was ruthless and cut-throat. I even saw him kill a man once. You, on the other hand, are sweet, gentle, and loving." She kissed him. "I want you and you alone, Damon. Rodrigo was my past, you're my present and possibly my future."

Damon didn't know what to think about that, but found that he couldn't turn his back on Elena, not when there was room for growth. What the hell difference did it make if she was a vampire? All that mattered was how he felt about her, and at that moment, he felt nothing but love for her. He pulled her closer to him and returned her kiss, moaning as their tongues collided.

_Elsewhere..._

Katherine was lurking around, looking for her target. A short while ago, she had spied on Damon and Elena in her cat form. She made sure that she was well hidden as she listened in their conversation. Of course, she left after they started kissing again. It wasn't that she didn't like it, which she did, but she had another Salvatore to find and didn't have the time to stick around and watch her sister's love fest commence.

It didn't take her long to find Stefan, because she saw him with another guy and girl, his friends, most likely. Katherine then assumed her normal form and approached the group, a smile on her face.

"Hey, is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Stefan smiled at her. "Well, hi there, little lady. What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?"

Katherine returned his smile. "Looking for you, stud. Why stay here when we can party somewhere else?" Remembering her manners, she added, "Oh, silly me, we weren't properly introduced. I'm Katherine Pierce."

"Nice to meet you," said Stefan. "I'm Stefan Salvatore."

"You want to go to a real party, Stefan?" said Katherine. "I can definitely show you a good time."

Stefan smiled. "And where is this 'real party'?"

Katherine smiled again. "My house." She then looked toward his friends. "You two wouldn't mind if I borrow Stefan for a few hours, would you? You see, I'm his girlfriend and I'm feeling a little...needy at the moment."

She didn't give them a chance to reply and grabbed Stefan's hand, leading him away from the others.

_Katherine's Room – A Short Time Later..._

Katherine attacked Stefan's lips fiercely as they entered her room. Stefan returned her kisses with an equal amount of fury. Katherine then practically ripped off his shirt, pushed him down on the bed and, taking some leather straps, tied him to the bed posts by his wrists. Stefan smirked at this. He liked bad girls, and Katherine seemed to be as bad as they came.

"Do you bring a lot of guys up here? You seem to have quite a collection of 'toys.'"

Katherine smiled at his innocent question. "Not really, but I'd be glad to have you be my first and, I'm lucky, my last." She kissed his chest, earning her a groan from him. "You like that, huh? Well, get ready, Stefan, because there's more where that came from."

That being said, she kissed down to his belly button, which she then licked slowly with her tongue before undoing the button and zipper of his jeans, his hard erection making her shiver slightly. Once she got his jeans off, Katherine had an idea. She started kissing up Stefan's body, up to his neck, getting a whiff of his blood. Her eyes then took on a demonic black and her fangs extended. When Stefan saw this, he struggled against the straps, trying to get away, but it was no use, he was tied good and tight.

Seeing this, Katherine grabbed his face and made him meet her eyes, saying, "It's okay, Stefan. I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax and enjoy the ride."

Stefan then instantly relaxed, a smile appearing on Katherine's face. Once she had him under her control, she plunged her fangs into his neck, growling hungrily as his blood attacked her tongue. Shit, this boy tasted like heaven. Damon's blood probably tasted just as good, possibly better, but he was Elena's, and she had made it perfectly clear that Stefan was who she came to town for.

_The Woods – That Same Moment..._

Caroline took a swig from her water bottle, exhausted from cheering. It had been quite an eventful evening, since she was trying not to notice Damon's date, even if she was obvious. No sooner did she finish drinking than Caroline spotted Klaus coming toward her, a bouquet in his hand and a smile on his face.

"Klaus," she said. "I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you at all tonight. Of course, what with all the excitement that was going on, it was a wonder I saw anything other than the pom poms in my hand."

Klaus smiled again and gave her the bouquet. "Flowers for the lady."

Caroline took the flowers. "You shouldn't have." She took a sniff. "They do smell good, though."

"You did great tonight, Caroline."

"You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it," said Klaus. "I don't have any doubt that the Timberwolves will be victorious in their first game of the season." He cleared his throat and extended his hand to her. "It's a beautiful night tonight and it would be a shame to waste it. Would you like to take a walk with me?"

Caroline smiled. "That's the best idea I've heard all night."

She took his hand and they walked through the woods together. For a few minutes, there was silence between them. Caroline then looked toward some trees and saw two people making out. As she got closer, she saw that it was Damon and his date. Great, just when she thought things couldn't get any more complicated.

"Klaus, could we go somewhere else?"

Klaus was about to ask why, but when he saw what she was looking at, the answer was obvious. She didn't like what she was seeing, so he went down another way. Before long, they arrived at a lake, which made Caroline smile slightly.

Klaus noticed her smile. "Is this better?"

"Yes, much better," she replied. "I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing Damon with..."

She never got to finish her thought, because Klaus had captured her lips with his in a soft kiss that was just scorching enough to set fire to her soul. Caroline returned his kiss once the shock wore off and found that it tasted like fresh strawberries.

After a few minutes, she stepped back. "You know, I don't usually go for older men, especially not if that older man happens to be my teacher. But, I guess there's a first time for everything, right?"

Klaus nodded. "Right. But, if I was out of line, you can tell me and I won't do it again."

"Are you insane? I enjoyed it," said Caroline. "Klaus, if this is wrong, I don't care. Forget what I said about being on the rebound, I know exactly what I want, and I want you."

Klaus didn't get to speak, because Caroline kissed him then same way he kissed her. He returned the kiss, pulling her closer to him, a perfect silhouette against the water in the background.

_**Note: Wow, big update, huh? Well, I had three separate couples to deal with, which made me work harder. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena confesses to Damon that she was the girl he met at his parents' funeral, and that she is a vampire. Instead of making him repulsed by her, Damon accepts her and they have a steamy kiss. Meanwhile, Katherine manages to seduce Stefan, and Klaus and Caroline have a steamy kiss of their own.**_

_**No spoilers, just follow along, and thank you for your support so far! You guys have been great!**_

_Salvatore Boarding House – Saturday Morning..._

Elena groaned as she woke up the next morning. She slowly opened her eyes and a quick look around told her that she was in Damon's room, and in Damon's bed. She was about to wonder how she got in, but then she realized that Damon had invited her in, having just accepted her for being a vampire. Speaking of Damon, she looked over and saw that he was still asleep, a smile on his face. Smiling as well, Elena kissed him gently, waking him up and earning her another smile.

Kissing her back, he said, "Morning."

"Morning." Elena kissed him again and then moved down to his chest, looking up at him. "Damon, did we just do what I think we did last night?"

"I think we did," said Damon. "Why? You're not regretting it, are you?"

"No, not at all, I had a great time," said Elena. "It was just that we went from kissing to this."

"I couldn't help myself," said Damon. "Once I started kissing you, I couldn't stop." He looked toward the mirror on his dresser and saw a bite mark on his neck. "And I see you've given me an interesting hickey, my dear."

Elena laughed at his choice of words. "Yeah, goes with the whole vampire thing." She smiled. "I could heal it for you if you want. I mean, wouldn't want the guys on the football team to see that 'hickey,' as you so creatively put it."

Damon smiled. "Are you kidding? I don't mind it being there. If anyone asks, I'll tell them I nicked myself shaving."

"That's weird, I never heard of razor blades leaving puncture wounds."

Damon chuckled and kissed her, rolling over until Elena was on her back. "I could stay like this forever, having you in my bed."

"Wouldn't your uncle get mad?" said Elena. "I heard him moving around a few minutes ago."

Damon sighed. How could he have forgotten that Zach lived here too? In all the excitement over he and Elena becoming a couple, it slipped his mind. A smile then crossed his face as he got up and pulled on his boxers, throwing one of his shirts over to Elena, who buttoned it slowly so that he had a view of her breasts as the black fabric enclosed itself around them. Once she was finished, she slipped on her panties and, going over to Damon, she took his hand.

Smiling, Damon opened the door and led her downstairs to the kitchen, where Zach was making breakfast. He caught sight of them and smiled, since he hated seeing Damon moping around and not having anyone, especially not after he and Caroline ended things.

Damon nodded to his uncle. "Morning, Zach."

"Morning, Damon," he replied. "So, aren't you going to introduce me to your lady friend?"

"Of course," said Damon. "Zach, this is Elena Pierce, my new girlfriend. Elena, this is my uncle, Zach Salvatore. He's been taking care of me since my parents died. Go easy on him, he's still learning."

Elena laughed. "It's nice to finally meet you, Zach. It must be hard, raising both Damon and Stefan on your own like this."

Zach then looked at Damon. "Speaking of Stefan, he never came home last night, and I tried calling him several times."

"Knowing Stefan, he probably spent the night at Tyler's," said Damon. "Those two are practically joined at the hip, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened."

"Yeah, except that's not what happened," said Zach. "I got off the phone with Mayor Lockwood a few minutes ago, and he said that the only one he saw Tyler with was that little slut, Vicki Donovan. So, wherever Stefan is, he sure as hell didn't spend the night at the Lockwood mansion."

Elena then felt her eyes go wide. "Katherine."

Damon and Zach exchanged looks and Damon said, "What about Katherine?"

"I think I know what happened to Stefan," said Elena. "Katherine must've gone to the pep rally when I specifically told her not to, and.." She let out a heavy sigh. "I'm going to give that little bitch such a talking-to when I get home!"

"Why?" said Zach. "If he's with Katherine, then he's fine."

"You don't understand, Zach," said Elena. "My sister isn't the kind of girl you want around Stefan. She's vicious, brutal, and very manipulative. It'll do Stefan more harm than good to be with her."

_Klaus' Mansion – That Same Moment..._

Caroline stretched and yawned as she woke up. As her vision cleared, she took a look around and discovered that she was in Klaus' room, and in Klaus' bed. Shit, did she just...sleep with the new art teacher? She knew that she had to move on and forget about Damon, but she never imagined that this was the way she was going to do it.

_Well, it happened whether you wanted it to or not,_ she thought. _I just hope Klaus isn't one of those guys who sleeps with a woman and then dumps her the next day._

She sat up and heard the door open. In walked Klaus, a tray in his hands and a smile on his face. "I made you breakfast in bed."

"Klaus, you really shouldn't have," she replied. "I mean, not that I didn't have a good time last night, which I did, but breakfast in bed? I know you're a gentleman and everything..."

"Caroline, I wanted to," said Klaus. "After the no doubt enjoyable evening you and I spent together, I wanted to make the morning after extra special."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "Are you _sure_ you've never dated anyone? It looks to me like you've done this before. Klaus, is there something you're not telling me? If we're going to have a relationship, we _have_ to be honest with each other. You know about Damon, since you obviously see him at school all the time, but seriously, I want to know if you had a girlfriend before you met me."

Klaus didn't answer right away, just approached the bed and set the tray before her, revealing the chocolate chip pancakes he made for her, complete with orange juice, wheat toast with jelly, and fresh strawberries. Once Caroline was served, he got in on his side of the bed and watched her eat, taking a few strawberries off the plate and nibbling on them.

Sighing, he said, "Are you sure you want me to tell you this, Caroline?"

Caroline nodded, taking a piece of pancake and eating it. "No sense starting this off with a lie."

"Very well, though it's not a pretty story," said Klaus. "To answer your question, love, I did have a girlfriend before I met you. Her name was Andie Star, and she was an up and coming news reporter. God, she had the potential to make a fine career out of what she did, and I couldn't have been prouder of her. I supported her, and I always looked forward to seeing her after work."

"What happened to her?"

"That's the not pretty part," said Klaus. "You see, Andie got an assignment to do a story in a very dangerous neighborhood. I begged her not to do it, but she told me she'd be fine. While she was in the middle of covering the story, she got shot by some thug. They called me from the hospital and I got there as fast as I could, only for it to be our last moment together before she drew her last breath."

"My God, that's terrible," said Caroline. "Klaus, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you relive that again."

"No, darling, it's not your fault," said Klaus. "You wanted me to be honest with you, and I answered your question as honestly as possible. Besides, it's been two years, and I was keeping it to myself for too long, and it wasn't healthy."

Caroline said nothing as she continued to eat her breakfast. She felt bad about asking Klaus about his ex-girlfriend. Shit, she was killed while doing her job? That was just awful. For the next hour or two, there was silence between them until finally, Klaus spoke.

"You know, I fancy a swim in the pool. Care to join me?"

Caroline blinked. "Klaus, I don't have my swim suit with me."

Klaus smirked. "Who said anything about a swim suit? I already saw you naked, Caroline, so there's no need to cover it."

Caroline giggled when he said that. It was true, he did see her naked. Besides, what harm would it do to be adventurous?

"All right, I'll go swimming with you."

"That's my girl," said Klaus. "Believe me, you're in for a treat." He got out of the bed and walked around to Caroline's side, holding out his hand. "Come, darling. And don't worry about the dishes. The servants will take care of that."

Caroline nodded and took his hand. He led her through the mansion until they arrived at the room that housed an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Caroline was in awe of it. There was no way in hell Klaus could afford something like this on a teacher's salary, right? Unless he had another job on the side that she didn't knnow about...yet.

"Do you like it?"

Klaus' question brought Caroline back to reality and she nodded her head. "I don't just _like_ it, Klaus, I _love_ it."

Klaus smiled. "Just the reaction I was going for."

He then let go of her hand and went to the pool, climbing into it using the steps. The water was surprisingly warm, which was a good thing. Caroline watched him from where she was standing, smiling at how sexy Klaus was. She hated to admit it, but he was sexier than Damon in most ways.

"Come on in, darling, the water is fantastic."

Klaus' words brought another smile to Caroline's face and she got into the pool, swimming out to where Klaus was. When she was close enough, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Caroline returned the kiss without hesitation and ran her fingers through his hair. Klaus gently pushed her up against the wall, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck before pushing her legs apart with his knee, thrusting into her slowly.

Caroline let out a muffled scream against his lips, remembering what had happened between them the night before. Being with Klaus was pure heaven and she didn't want to leave.

_**Note: Long update, huh? I know you're wondering what's going on with Katherine and Stefan, but I will focus on them next chapter. This chapter was dedicated to Delena and Klaroline.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Damon and Elena have a cute moment together before heading down to breakfast, where Elena meets Zach. When Zach tells Damon that Stefan didn't come home from the pep rally last night, Elena tells them that Katherine got to him. In the meantime, Klaus serves Caroline breakfast in bed and tells her about the night Andie died, after which they have a steamy scene in the pool.**_

_**Let's move on, shall we? And thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – Later..._

Stefan slowly opened his eyes and when he went to move his neck, it was tender. Not sure why, he carefully lifted his hand and touched it, bringing it forward and saw a tiny bit of blood on his palm. A quick look around told him that he was still in Katherine's room. What the hell? He tried to remember what had happened between them, but for the life of him, he couldn't. So, how was it that he was still in her bed?

"Morning, sleepy head."

Startled, Stefan looked over and saw Katherine standing there, wearing a black silk robe. Even though he couldn't quite remember the events of last night, Stefan found it impossible to be afraid. Why would he fear her when she was just so beautiful? He forced himself to smile at her, but then suddenly, he felt a pain in his head and rushed into the bathroom, where he threw up most of his stomach contents before lifting his head up and sitting against the toilet.

Katherine watched him from the doorway and a look of concern appeared in her eyes. "Stefan, are you okay?"

"Just a hangover," he replied. "Either that or whatever was in the drink Tyler gave me totally messed with my stomach. Shit, the things I let that bastard talk me into doing." He looked at Katherine. "You're too nice a girl to be associating with someone like me, Katherine. My problems shouldn't become your problems."

"I don't care," said Katherine. "Stefan, please, you don't have to keep doing this to yourself. Your friend, Tyler? He's probably going to end up dead in a ditch somewhere, and who knows what's going to be in Vicki's future, if she even has one."

"You sound like Zach," said Stefan. "He tells me that exact same thing."

"Well, maybe you should listen to him." Katherine knelt next to him. "You want me to help you feel better?"

Stefan scowled. "You're not going to bite me again, are you? I mean, isn't that what vampires are supposed to do?"

Katherine blinked. "Wait, how did you..."

"Come on, Katherine, I'm not stupid, I've read the legends," said Stefan. "Hell, I even read this one that dates back to when one of our ancestors, Count Rodrigo di Salvatore, was alive, about a vampire that hid herself among the members of his court."

"Did those legends also include Rodrigo having a lover?"

"Not that I could recall, even though Rodrigo was known for having quite a number of women in his bed," said Stefan. "Why?"

"Just wondering, that's all." Katherine sighed. "Stefan, I want you to promise me something."

Stefan raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"That you don't tell anyone about me."

"I doubt anyone will believe me anyway," said Stefan. "But, if it's that important to you, then I won't mention this to anyone, not even Damon."

"Well, I think Damon already knows about me," said Katherine. "I didn't tell him what I am, but I'm pretty sure Elena has told him the truth about her." She saw the look in Stefan's eyes. "Yes, Stefan, Elena is a vampire too."

Stefan blinked. "So, let me get this straight. You and Elena are vampires?"

"Yes," said Katherine. "We were turned when were were seventeen, in 1492, the time your ancestor was alive." She sighed. "Of course, Elena loved him fiercely, and when she was first turned, she wanted him to become like her, so that they'd be together for all eternity. Unfortunately, Rodrigo refused her, as deep as his love was for her."

"So, Elena was Rodrigo's lover?" said Stefan. "God, my head hurts thinking about it."

"Then, don't." Katherine smirked. "I could make you forget that part, if you'd like. Let you keep some of it, but take away the parts you don't like."

"You can do that?"

"I'm a vampire, Stefan, I can do _lots_ of things," said Katherine. "Things that humans could only dream of."

Stefan nodded. "In that case, you think you can help me forget this hangover?"

Katherine smiled and looked into his eyes, using her compulsion power on him to make him forget that he had come in here in the first place, following it up with a scorching kiss, caressing his face with her hands. Stefan returned her kiss willingly and opened her robe, seeing that she didn't have anything on underneath, and caressing her breasts with his hands, earning him a muffled scream from her.

_Elsewhere..._

Elena walked into the house after Damon dropped her off, hell bent on giving Katherine a piece of her mind. She searched through every room, using her senses to locate her sister. When she got to the bathroom, Elena saw Katherine and Stefan by the toilet, making out.

"Katherine, get off him, now."

Katherine, hearing her sister's voice, turned around, smiling at her. Stefan smiled as well, seeing that Elena was every bit as beautiful as Katherine. His smile still there, he said, "Well, hi there. You must be Elena. My brother has very good taste if he's got someone like you. Truth be told, I never liked Caroline Forbes. He was too good for her anyway."

Elena blinked and said, "Stefan, why don't you go get dressed? I need to speak Katherine alone. You know, sister stuff. I'll take you home after, since Damon and Zach are obviously worried about you."

Stefan looked at Katherine, who nodded and said, "Go on, Stefan. I'll call you later."

Nodding as well, Stefan left the room, shutting the door behind him so that Elena and Katherine had some privacy. Once he was gone, Katherine got up and closed her robe, even though she could smell sweat and sex on Elena.

"Katherine, I want you to stop what you're doing before you hurt him. I told you he's fragile."

"Stop? Why would I stop?" said Katherine. "I'm not hurting him, I'm helping him. I've taken his bad memories away and let him keep the good ones, mainly the good time he had with me last night. Now, that was fun."

"It's all fun and games to you, isn't it, Katherine?" said Elena. "How long before you decide to get your blood elsewhere? People will end up dead, just like when we were turned. You killed people faster than the plague, and I had to clean up your mess."

Katherine smirked. "How very observant of you, Elena. But, you see, as long as I have Stefan here, I'm never going to get bored, and all the humans will be spared. At least until I turn Stefan, then they'll have something to fear."

With that, she walked away before Elena could answer. No sooner did she leave than Stefan appeared, fully clothed. He had a smile on his face, as though what they had been talking about didn't faze him.

Sighing, Elena said, "Come on, I'll take you home."

Stefan nodded and followed her downstairs and to her car. Katherine watched them leave from a window, sighing happily to herself, knowing that Stefan would keep her secret.

_**Note: Better late than never, huh? Well, here is Chapter 8 of "True Love Never Dies." Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Stefan and Katherine have a moment that is interrupted when Elena comes home from spending the night with Damon.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews thus far, guys! The idea for this chapter came to me just now and I wanted to go through with it. Enjoy!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – Several Days Later..._

Katherine sat at her vanity, curling her hair. She had just gotten out of the shower and was planning to meet with Stefan after he had gotten out of school, so she wanted to look her best for him. She smiled as she remembered the fun they had over the weekend and was looking forward to having even more fun with him. The best part was that she didn't give a shit one way or the other what Elena thought about it.

As she went about brushing her hair, Katherine could've sworn she felt like she wasn't alone. "Elena?"

No answer. Of course, that was a given, since Elena had gone to school several hours ago. Who could be alerting her senses like this? Putting down her curling iron and shutting it off, Katherine got up from the vanity and exited the room, using her senses to pick up the foreign presence. It got especially strong when she reached the living room.

"Katerina. I wondered when our paths would cross again."

A smooth, velvety voice brought Katherine out of her reverie and she looked toward the fire place, where she saw Rodrigo standing directly underneath the painting that hung on the mantel. What the hell was going here? He was dead...wasn't he?

"Rodrigo?" she said. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be dead."

"Technically, I am," he replied. "But, I'm the same as you."

Katherine blinked. "You're a vampire? But, how?"

"Oh, come, Katerina," said Rodrigo. "Did you honestly think that you and Elena were the only ones Rose turned that year? She turned me too."

"That's impossible," said Katherine. "You didn't want to be what Elena and I became. You said so yourself. What the hell made you change your mind? There had to have been a reason behind your decision."

"Simple, I realized that I loved Elena too much to die of old age," said Rodrigo. "Speaking of your sister, where is she? I came to this little town to find her. If you ask me, it's frightfully dull compared to the other places I've been over the centuries."

"She's not here."

Rodrigo raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Mind telling me exactly where she is then?"

Katherine hesitated. Did she dare tell him that Elena was at school with Damon? Given what she knew about him when he was still human, if she revealed their location, Damon would be put in serious danger and she knew that Elena would hate her.

"I'm afraid I don't know."

"You're lying, Katerina," said Rodrigo, his blue eyes shimmering with malice. "Tell me where Elena is." He approached her and pulled out the dagger he was carrying in his pocket, extending his fangs. "If value your head, you'd tell me where I may find her."

Katherine gulped when she saw the dagger. Shit, now what the hell was she going to do? "She's at Mystic Falls High School. If you want, I can take you to her. I was planning on going there anyway to meet someone."

"I suppose, since this town is strange to me," said Rodrigo. "But, I warn you, Katerina, it will be your neck if we get there and I find that you're lying to me. If you thought I dealt with liars harshly when I was human, I can do far worse now that I'm a vampire."

Katherine nodded. "I can assure you, my lord, I'm telling the truth."

_Mystic Falls High School – Later..._

Unaware of what was going to happen, Damon and Elena were in the parking lot, standing by Elena's car, kissing and practically making out. Although they were able to see each other throughout the day, they wanted to spend some quality time together, so that was why they were kissing each other so savagely.

Damon pulled away after a while, looking into Elena's eyes, gently brushing her face with his hand. Elena smiled at him and said, "Your lips taste just as delicious during the week as they do on the weekends."

"Do they?" he replied. "Well, the feeling is mutual about yours."

Elena was about to reply when suddenly, she felt Damon being pushed off her and when she looked, she saw him on the ground. She went to help him when she felt herself being pushed against the car. When she looked to see who had done it, she gasped when she saw...

"Rodrigo? But, that's impossible. How are you even alive?"

"Simple, my love, Rose turned me," he replied. "I know I said I didn't want to be what you are, but when you ran away, I realized that I couldn't spend the rest of my life without you, so I went to Rose and asked her to turn me."

Elena shook her head. "No, I don't believe it. This has to be a trick."

"No trick, dearest," said Rodrigo. "I'm really here." He brushed her face with his hand. "Oh, how I missed you. You still as beautiful as you were the last time I saw you. Granted, that was centuries ago, but my love for you still burns bright."

He went to kiss her, but Damon, who had gotten to his feet, stepped in between them. "Back off, asshole, she doesn't want you."

Rodrigo gave him a stern look. "Mind your manners, whelp. Do you not know who are you addressing? I am Count Rodrigo di Salvatore."

"I don't care if you're Prince Albert," said Damon. "Get your hands off my girlfriend."

Rodrigo blinked and then looked at Elena. "Elena, is what this boy saying true?"

Elena nodded. "Yes, Rodrigo, it's true. I've moved on, I'm with Damon now. You were my first love, and believe me, you still have a special place in my heart, but you have to accept the fact that things can't be the way they were five hundred years ago."

"But, he's a child," said Rodrigo. "What can he possibly offer you?"

"Everything," said Elena. "I'm sorry, but I've made up my mind."

"I came back for you," said Rodrigo. "I love you, Elena."

"You heard the lady, she's made up her mind," said Damon. "Why don't you go away and leave her alone?" He took Elena's hand. "Come on, Elena, let's get out of here."

Elena nodded and squeezed his hand as Damon led her away from the scene they had just been in. Once they were gone, Katherine approached Rodrigo, having watched everything from a safe distance, not wanting to incur Elena's wrath.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you that she was with Damon."

"How could she choose that insolent little mongrel over me?"

"That was her decision to make," said Katherine. "In her mind, you were dead."

Rodrigo looked at Katherine. "I refuse to stand by and let some child put his stench all over my beloved. If there is a way to get her back, I need to know. I don't care how many innocents I have to punish in order to get what I want."

Not giving Katherine a chance to answer, Rodrigo kicked his vampire speed into high gear and left the parking lot. Katherine watched him go, wondering why Rose would waste her time turning him.

_**Note: Yeah, Rodrigo is a vampire. Don't ask how this idea sparked or why, but I guess I wanted to up the ante a bit.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena gets an unexpected surprise when her former lover, Rodrigo, arrives in Mystic Falls, and as a vampire.**_

_**Thank you for all the reviews so far! You guys are great!**_

_After the Run-in with Rodrigo..._

Damon felt like his head was about to explode as he and Elena kept walking through the parking lot. Just a few short minutes ago, they had run into Elena's ex, and it wasn't exactly sitting too well with him. What the hell was this guy's presence in Mystic Falls supposed to mean? More importantly, how could Elena not know about it?

Elena noticed that Damon was quiet and from the energy she was sensing, he was also very agitated. "Damon, please, talk to me. I need to know what you're thinking."

"Just what the hell was that back there?"

Okay, not quite the answer she was expecting, but it was better than silence. "Believe me, I'm just as baffled by it as you are. I had no idea that Rodrigo had survived, or that Rose had turned him. I don't know why he's here in Mystic Falls and..."

"He said he was here for you," said Damon. "Claimed that he loved you."

"He can claim that all he wants," said Elena. "But, I won't budge. Damon, you know that my heart belongs to you and you alone. Rodrigo will never come between us, I promise." She stopped walking, taking his face in her hands, making him look her in the eye. "You believe me, don't you?"

Damon looked into her brown eyes with his blue eyes. While the encounter with Rodrigo was unsettling, Elena's words were sincere. If she still loved Rodrigo, she would've gone back to him. However, as he looked at her, he saw the opposite.

"I believe you, Elena," he said. "I just can't stand the thought of him putting his hands on you."

"The feeling is mutual," said Elena. "Like I said, I don't know why Rodrigo is here in Mystic Falls, other than his sick delusion that he can reclaim me. But, I do know that no matter what he thinks, he can never destroy what I have with you."

Damon smiled and kissed her. If there was ever a moment where he truly loved Elena, this was it. Elena returned his kiss and moaned against his mouth as their tongues. Even though she knew this wasn't the last time they'd see Rodrigo, she was determined to protect Damon from him, even if she died trying.

_Klaus' Mansion – That Same Moment..._

Caroline was in a rather provocative pose as she stretched out on the chaise lounge, dressed in nothing but one of Klaus' shirts, the top three buttons of which were open to reveal her cleavage. She was posing for a portrait that Klaus said he wanted to do of her. Caroline was more than willing to oblige, since he loved him that much.

Speaking of Klaus, he was having a bit of a hard time concentrating on his work because his cock was responding to how absolutely beautiful Caroline was as she was posing. He wanted her so bad, he couldn't stand it. Seeing her in his shirt certainly wasn't making the situation any better. Caroline saw him sweating from where she was positioned and a sly smirk crept across her face.

"Are you okay up there, Klaus? You look like you're in a lot of pain."

"All the pain in the world is worth it for you, love," he replied. "You have no idea just how badly I want to go over there and have my way with you."

Caroline licked her lips at that. "Well, there's no rule against taking a break, is there? I think I can remedy that pain for both of us." She saw that his bare chest was covered in paint. "In fact, why don't we go up to the bathroom and take a shower? We've never made love in the shower yet, and I think it'll be a great way to blow off some steam, so to speak."

Klaus let out a groan at her suggestion. "Damn it, Caroline, you're killing me!"

Caroline giggled. "Aww, my poor baby." She got up and approached him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Come on, Klaus, let's take a break. We can always come back to this later."

"I wish you hadn't said that."

Caroline smirked. "Why?"

"I can make that happen," said Klaus. "Except it won't be in the shower. I can make you come on the chaise."

Not giving Caroline a chance to reply, he threw her over his shoulder, carried her to the chaise lounge, where he laid her down, undid the remaining buttons on the shirt, and climbed on top of her, kissing her hotly as he ran his hands up and down her body, and, after removing his jeans and boxers, spread her legs apart and drove his throbbing cock into her core, thrusting into her hard and fast.

Caroline felt what he was doing to her and arched her back, screaming out in pleasure. God, the things this man could do to her body. Klaus heard her scream and kissed her throat, feeling the vibration against his lips before slowly moving up to nibble on her bottom lip.

"That's it, love, scream for me," he said. "Let me know that you're enjoying this."

Caroline nodded and let out another scream, the passion she felt between them exploding all over the place. She didn't know what she did to deserve this man, but she wasn't letting him go. He was too special to her and she was pretty sure he felt the same about her.

Klaus smiled and said, "I love you, Caroline."

Caroline panted. "What?"

"I love you," said Klaus. "I've been wanting to say it ever since we started dating, but I wasn't sure if you were ready to hear it, so I waited until now."

Caroline blinked, not sure what to think about that. Of course, he really didn't have to tell her that he loved her, because she already knew from the way he treated her. Then again, she couldn't blame him for wanting to verbally express it.

Smiling, she said, "I love you too, Klaus."

Returning her smile, Klaus kissed her and continued to make love to her.

_**Note: Better late than never, right? Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. **

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena tells Damon that no matter what Rodrigo thought, he would never come between them.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Several Months Later..._

Damon sighed as he pulled into the driveway of the boarding house. It had been a rather grueling day of practice, with Coach Tanner really pushing the guys because they had a big away game coming up and they had to be prepared for it. Of course, Damon was beginning to think that maybe football wasn't worth it for him anymore. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy it, he did, but it was the injuries and shit that he had to deal, even more so because he was the quarterback.

He hated to consider leaving the team, but he didn't want to regret not getting out while he was still healthy, and hopefully, Coach Tanner would understand and not overreact.

Stepping out of the car, Damon couldn't help but get the feeling he was being watched. He looked all around him, but didn't see anyone. It was weird, and yet, it was also unsettling. The feeling intensified as he proceeded toward the front door, which looked like it had been forced open. The sight of it made Damon's heart hammer.

Hoping that nothing bad happened, and yet, getting the feeling that something had happened, Damon walked into the house, seeing what looked like a struggle.

"Zach?"

No answer.

"Zach, are you here? It's Damon."

Still no answer. Looking toward the kitchen, he saw Zach on the floor, in a pool of his own blood. Ignoring his pounding heart, Damon went over to him and he saw that there were puncture wounds on his neck. Shit, that meant he had been attacked by a vampire, an evil vampire.

"It's a pity about Zach. If he only would've given me the information I wanted, I would've let him live."

Hearing that familiar voice, Damon turned and saw Rodrigo standing there, Zach's blood still on his chin and around his lips.

"You bastard," he growled. "You killed the only family I have besides my brother! How could you be so cruel?"

Rodrigo smirked. "I was only doing what any normal vampire would do in the situation, Damon. I compelled him to let him in and the fun began. Oh, and because he was under compulsion, he didn't really fight, so I made it look like there was a struggle."

Not giving Damon a chance to reply, he added, "Now, my young descendant, I believe you have something I want."

"Elena doesn't love you anymore, Rodrigo," said Damon. "She made that perfectly clear the day you came back. She chose me." He snarled at him. "No matter what you say, she'll never go back to you."

Rodrigo hissed and extended his fangs, which still slightly stained with Zach's blood. "I could kill you for your insolence and not give it a second thought."

"Go ahead then," said Damon. "Kill me. What's stopping you?"

"The fact that you've got worse things to fear than me."

Damon blinked. "Worse things to fear than you? What are you talking about?"

"You're the Salvatore doppelganger, Damon," said Rodrigo. "As such, you're in danger."

Damon was about to reply when Elena came in, having sensed that something was definitely up and had followed Damon home to make sure that he was safe. She saw Zach's body on the floor and then looked at Rodrigo, hissing angrily and extending her fangs, her eyes black with range.

"You bastard! You killed him! He didn't deserve to die!"

Rodrigo ignored her and looked at Damon. "You should leave town while you still can. The longer you stay, the more danger you're in."

"Danger?" said Elena. "Rodrigo, what the hell is going on here? Why are you saying that Damon is in danger? And from who?"

Rodrigo looked at Elena. "There's a reason why I haven't killed him, Elena. He's the doppelganger and he needs to be protected." He looked at Damon again. "At all costs."

"I don't need you to tell me," said Elena. "I was already planning to protect him." She scowled at him. "From you."

"You're welcome to try, my dear," said Rodrigo. "But, if you really want to protect Damon, you'd get him the hell out of town before it's too late. I've narrowly escaped death many times, since I descended from the original Salvatore doppelganger. Becoming a vampire was the only way I could escape it."

"That's the real reason you turned?" said Elena. "To escape being killed because you resemble your ancestor?"

"Oh, I still turned because of my love for you. But, yes, it was to escape death because I resemble my ancestor."

"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you murdered Zach," said Damon, having been quiet until now. "You're a monster, Rodrigo, a psychotic monster! I wish you never existed, you heartless piece of shit!"

Elena went over to Damon and wrapped her arms around, sensing his anger and pain. Rodrigo eyed the pair curiously and then, without a word, left the house. When he was gone, Damon fell to the ground, Elena falling as well because she was still holding him. She then pulled him to her, running her fingers through his hair to soothe him.

"It's all right now, Damon," she said, even though it really wasn't. "I'm here. I've got you."

Damon didn't reply, just wrapped his arms around Elena and sobbed against her. Elena felt bad for him in that moment, since he had just suffered another painful loss that was twice as painful as the loss of his parents. She wished that there was something she could do to take the pain away, but knew that it wouldn't make a difference one way or another because Zach was still dead and she couldn't change that.

_**Note: Yeah, I know this wasn't that big an update, but I thought I'd really up the ante a bit. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Damon comes to find Zach murdered by Rodrigo's hand, and learns he's the Salvatore doppelganger and that his life is in danger.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews so far, guys! You're awesome!**_

_Mystic Falls Cemetery – One Week Later..._

A sickening feeling of deja vu hit him as Damon stood by Zach's grave, mourning the uncle he loved and definitely missed more than anything. It was hard to believe that it was a year ago that he was burying his parents in this very cemetery, and now, he was burying Zach. He also felt a sick sense of irony since he had been with Caroline last year, and now, he was with Elena. The only difference was that Caroline was human, like him, and Elena was a vampire. Katherine, who was clutching Stefan's arm and resting her head on his shoulder for comfort and support, was one too.

Caroline had moved on too, and was standing nearby, her arms around Klaus' waist. It wasn't that Damon resented it, which he didn't, because it was wrong to hold on to the past. The thing he resented was that just because he was the Salvatore doppelganger, people around him had to suffer and die needlessly.

Elena clutched his hand, the salt of his tears reaching his nose. She felt partially responsible for this, because she dared to love a boy that resembled her former lover, which had a pretty steep price attached to it. If she hadn't come into his life, maybe he would've been better off. Hell, he wouldn't be burying his beloved uncle right now if it hadn't been for her.

Klaus watched the Salvatore brothers as they grieved. "Poor lads. Losing their uncle within a year of their parents. It doesn't seem fair."

Caroline nodded. "I know, I feel so bad for them. I just wish there was something else we could do. They're all alone now." Her eyes widened then. "Wait a minute, there is something we could do."

"There is?" Klaus raised a curious eyebrow at that, not sure what she was planning.

"Yeah," said Caroline. "Klaus, you can go to the Salvatore house and look after them. True, they have other relatives, but they live all the way in Italy. I doubt they'd want to come here, and I don't want Damon and Stefan to have to move away."

"Me?" said Klaus. "Caroline, I know that your heart is in the right place, and believe me, I love you for it, but honestly, it's going to be awkward. Think about it, Damon is your ex-boyfriend and it's going to be weird for him to be looked after by me, your current boyfriend. Not to mention it'll make it hard for us to be together without him or Stefan walking in on us."

"Just think about it, okay?" said Caroline. "I'm not asking you to _adopt_ my ex-boyfriend. I'm only asking you to stay with him for a while."

Klaus sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to win this. That and he didn't want to get into an argument, especially not at a funeral. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her passionately. He loved her more than anything else in the world. True, the faculty lounge was buzzing with rumors every day at the school, but Klaus didn't pay any attention. In fact, when they asked him who the girl was, he didn't answer and either listened to his iPod or left the room and went to do some painting in the art room.

_Later on..._

After the service concluded, Damon, Elena, Stefan, and Katherine proceeded to the cars. Klaus and Caroline had left a few minutes earlier, and although they didn't say where they were going, Damon already knew, since he had seen them together on more than one occasion. Elena, still concerned about him, struggled with what to do. Finally, she got an idea and looked at Katherine.

"You and Stefan go on without us," she said. "Damon and I need to be alone."

Katherine tilted her head, not sure what her sister was planning, but opted not to judge her. After all, she probably wanted to comfort Damon in her own way. Of course, she was planning to do the same with Stefan, so it was a win-win.

"Okay, we'll leave you to your business."

That being said, she got into her car, Stefan getting in half a beat later, and they drove off. Damon looked at Elena curiously, having overheard what she had said to Katherine, but wasn't sure what she had planned.

"What's going on, Elena?" he said. "Why did you have Stefan and Katherine go on without us?"

"I didn't want them to hear what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Why not?" said Damon. "I mean, they might want to help us deal with our current situation. I don't want to keep the fact that I'm a doppelganger a secret from my brother."

"I know, and you'll be able to tell him," said Elena. "But, for now, I wanted to talk to you privately."

Damon nodded. He still didn't know what she wanted to discuss with him, but knew that he would find out whether he wanted to or not. Elena smiled and got into her car, Damon following suit half a beat later.

_An Hour Later..._

Damon followed behind Elena as they walked through the woods. Elena had taken a back road upon leaving the cemetery. She had to have their conversation in a secluded place away from civilization, a place that also had a bit of a romantic ambiance to it.

"Elena, where are you taking us?"

"You'll see," she replied. "It's just a little ways up this path."

Damon went to say something else, but opted not to. Instead, he just continued to follow her. Finally, they arrived at the location Elena had chosen for their chat. It was a beautiful place near a waterfall. He forced a smile, knowing that she had wanted this to also be romantic.

"Oh God," he said. "Elena, it's beautiful."

"I wanted this to be special," said Elena. "This may be a hard time for you, but I wanted you to have something worth remembering." She approached him and took his hands in hers. "I love you, Damon. I've loved you since I met you at your parents' funeral last year."

Damon smiled and kissed her. "I love you too, Elena. You mean so much to me." He pulled her to him and hugged her. "I just can't believe this whole bullshit with me being the Salvatore doppleganger came about. I mean, I never expected it to happen, and yet, out of nowhere, it just...came up and attacked me, you know?"

Elena said nothing at first, just listened to him talk. His voice was so warm and soothing.

"I'm so sorry, Damon."

Damon pulled back and looked at her. "For what, _amore mia_?"

"All this," said Elena. "If I hadn't met you, you would've been a lot better off, and your uncle wouldn't dead right now." Hot tears stung her eyes and she hung her head. "You're such a special boy, Damon, and you've got so much potential. And now, all that doesn't mean shit anymore, and it's my fault."

"Elena, it's not your fault," said Damon, lifting her chin. "Please, I don't want you to blame yourself."

"Why not?" said Elena. "Damon, Rodrigo said..."

"I don't give a shit about Rodrigo," said Damon. "He's a heartless, selfish asshole who wants to tear us apart." He hugged her to him again. "He can do his worst, but I'm not going to run and hide like a coward. I'm braver than he thinks I am."

Again, Elena said nothing, just listened to Damon talk. Shit, he was putting up such a brave front right now and she admired his ability to be strong in the face of adversity. In fact, that was among the many things she found so endearing about him.

Then, she stepped back, grabbed his face and kissed him roughly, removing her hands and then slipping his suit jacket off, throwing it on the ground, undoing the buttons on his shirt. Damon returned her kiss and moaned against her mouth as he felt what she was doing. He pulled back then, breaking the kiss.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to make love to you, Damon," she replied. "I just don't give a shit. You're more important to me than anything else, at least right now." She kissed him again. "Don't make me have to beg you, Damon. Do this for me, for us."

Damon didn't have to be told twice and kissed her again, undoing the back of her dress, letting it fall to the ground. Elena returned his kiss and resumed her work on his shirt. When she got to the last button, she slid it off him and threw it to the ground near his jacket and her dress. Damon undid the clasps of her bra, kissing and caressing her breasts once they were free. Elena vamp sped them to a nearby tree, pushing Damon up against the trunk and undid his pants, pulling them down, along with his boxers. Damon pulled down her stockings and panties, pushed her legs apart with his knee, and glided himself into her, thrusting hard and fast into her, allowing his love for her to envelope them. In that moment, everything was a blur. All that mattered was Elena. No Rodrigo, no doppelganger bullshit, nothing.

_**Note: I hope this was worth the wait, guys. I wanted to end this chapter on a Delena smut front.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," the gang attends Zach's funeral and afterward, Elena takes Damon to a secluded place to have some alone time with him.**_

_**Thank you for your reviews so far! You're awesome!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – That Same Moment..._

Katherine sighed as she walked into the house. She didn't know what to make of all of this, even though she had become accustomed to death since becoming a vampire. However, that didn't mean she couldn't be as disturbed about Zach's death as the others. She knew that Stefan worshipped the man, even though he irked him constantly.

She headed into the parlor, where she opened the liquor cabinet, took out a glass and bottle of bourbon, poured the contents into the glass, and, instead of taking a swig, like she was tempted to do, she sipped it slowly, as though making love to it. In fact, she was still drinking it when Stefan walked in and saw what she was doing.

"I hope there's enough for two."

Katherine smirked at him. "You wouldn't want this. You'll get sick."

"It's a perfect day for it," said Stefan. "I mean, I just came from a funeral. What better way to forget the tragedy that befell my family than joining my girlfriend in a drink?"

"Stefan, I mean it," said Katherine. "This stuff is too strong for you." She saw the pleading look in his eye. "Shit, not the puppy dog look. You know that's my weakness."

Stefan smiled and went over to her, hugging her from behind and gently kissing her neck. "Would you rather I do _this_ instead?"

Katherine growled playfully as she felt Stefan kissing her neck and, placing the glass on the table, turned around in his embrace and pushed him up against the mantel, kissing him hungrily, wrapping her arms around his neck. God, how she loved him. He was just too cute to resist.

"Even in mourning, you're incredibly gorgeous."

Stefan smiled. "Awww, thank you." He kissed her again. "I love you, Katherine Pierce, with everything that I am."

Katherine giggled and returned his kiss. "I love you too, Stefan Salvatore." She kissed him again. "You know what? I'm going to go upstairs and get into something a little more comfortable and then, you and I can have ourselves a little party."

Stefan smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"I knew you'd say yes," said Katherine. "Now, don't move and I'll be right back."

Stefan nodded and kissed her passionately before letting her go, playfully slapping her ass as she walked away, earning him a giggle from her. He sighed as he saw her ascend the stairs, licking his lips in anticipation of being with her. He was so busy watching her that he didn't notice that he wasn't alone anymore until he was grabbed from behind and a hand clamped itself over his mouth, along with a cloth laced with chloroform. Stefan tried to fight it, but the effects took hold quickly and within minutes, his world went black.

_Somewhere Outside of Mystic Falls – An Hour Later..._

The first thing Stefan felt when he woke up was a splitting headache. He took a look around as his vision cleared and saw that he wasn't in the parlor of Katherine's house anymore. In fact, he didn't know where the hell he was. He went to move, but found his movements restricted. Looking behind him, he saw that he was tied to a chair. Great, now what?

"Glad to see you've finally decided to wake up. I was beginning to think I used too much chloroform."

A voice brought Stefan out of his reverie and he looked in the direction of the sound to see a figure step in from the shadows. "Damon?"

"Better, me."

Stefan blinked. "Rodrigo? I don't get it, why the hell did you bring me here?"

"Relax, Stefan, I'm not going to hurt you," said Rodrigo. "Besides, I can't very well do this with a corpse."

Stefan was still confused. "Do what?"

Rodrigo smirked evilly. "Make you a vampire, of course."

"You kidnapped me so that you could turn me?" said Stefan. "I was already willing to turn for Katherine."

"Let's just say I'm helping Katerina out." He saw Stefan's confused look. "Or Katherine, as you call her." Clearing his throat, he added, "Anyway, my young friend, I need to convince your brother that it's no longer safe for him to stay in Mystic Falls, and I need you to help me with that."

Rodrigo then extended his fangs and bit into his wrist, placing it over Stefan's mouth, holding the back of his head with his free hand as he gave the younger Salvatore his blood. Once the boy had enough, he removed his wrist, snapped his neck, and untied him, placing him on the floor.

A few minutes passed before Rodrigo returned with a girl he had compelled to behave and watched as Stefan took a huge gasp.

"Ah, perfect timing, Stefan. I brought you what you need to complete your transition."

Stefan looked at the girl with Rodrigo, a pretty little redhead who looked like he was about Damon's age. "You want me to kill her?"

"Unless you feed, you'll die," said Rodrigo. "There's no other option." He bit into the girl's neck. "Look, I even tasted her for you. And she tastes heavenly."

Stefan took a whiff of the girl's blood and his fangs sprouted as he went over and sank them into the spot Rodrigo had marked for him. Rodrigo smirked and licked his lips as he watched his new protege drink. He could just imagine the possibilities of having Stefan as his disciple, doing what his master ordered him to.

It was while Rodrigo was watching that Stefan had finished feeding. The minute he removed his fangs from the victim, her head fell clear off her body. Rodrigo saw this and couldn't believe it. He had heard of something like this, but never really quite understood until he saw it with his own eyes.

"Your transition was a success," he said. "You're a vampire now, and not just any vampire, you've become the legendary type of vampire known as a Ripper. Simply stated, you are the ideal killer." He chuckled. "And do I have plans for you."

Stefan panted and his eyes turned a demonic black, his fangs and lips covered with the dead girl's blood.

_**Note: Your eyes are not deceiving you, guys, Rodrigo did in fact turn Stefan. As far as what his plans are, you'll have to wait until the next installment.**_

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	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Rodrigo kidnaps Stefan and turns him.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews so far! You guys are amazing!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – After Stefan's Kidnapping..._

Damon and Elena walked into the house, hand in hand and smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary. They were obviously reliving their time together in the woods. It was peaceful and romantic, and it helped them relieve some tension. However, Elena's smile faded as they approached the parlor, not really liking what she was sensing. Damon noticed the change and his smile faded as well.

"Elena, what is it?"

Elena didn't answer him, let go of his hand and walked into the parlor, finding Katherine there, dressed in a blood red nightie underneath a matching silk robe. Apparently, she had planned on having sex with Stefan. Of course, Elena didn't sense his presence anywhere.

"Katherine, what happened? Where's Stefan?"

Katherine looked at her sister. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. I only went upstairs for a few minutes to get into something more comfortable, and when I came back down, he was gone. I can't file a Missing Persons report because he hasn't been missing that long."

Damon overheard the sisters' conversation and decided to speak up. "Do you have any idea where he is right now?"

"No, and he didn't have plans to be anywhere else but here with me," said Katherine. "And he hasn't seen or spoken to those friends of his since he met me, so I don't think he'd ditch me and go to them." She ran a hand through her hair. "God, if anything has happened to him, I don't know what I'd do."

"Join the club, I'm as worried about him as you," said Damon. "Stefan is the only family I have left."

Elena looked at him. "We'll find him, Damon, I promise." Her phone rang at that moment. Digging into her pocket, she pulled it out and looked at the ID before pressing "Send." "Hello?"

"Hello, Elena. I understand you're missing someone. Katerina's boyfriend, perhaps?"

Elena didn't have to guess who the voice on the other end belonged to, because she recognized it from anywhere.

"Rodrigo. I knew you wouldn't keep away for long," she said. "Where's Stefan?"

Rodrigo laughed evilly on the other end. "What are you asking me for? He's right here with me. Why don't you come outside and see for yourselves?"

Katherine, hearing that, vamp sped to the door and opened it, seeing Rodrigo outside, and sure enough, Stefan was standing beside him, blood on his chin and on his shirt. What the hell? He certainly didn't look like that earlier. Elena and Damon joined her as soon as Elena hung up her phone, seeing the same thing. Damon, his hatred for Rodrigo at an all time high, walked out of the house before Elena could stop him.

"Let my brother go," he demanded. "He has nothing to do with this. He's an innocent boy."

Rodrigo smirked at his doppelganger. "Innocent? Damon, he's anything but innocent. Stefan has been involved in this since day one." He looked at Stefan. "In fact, I've sort of...enlisted his help on a very important matter, but not before having him join the ranks of the supernatural."

"You turned him?" said Damon. "You bastard, how could you? What the hell are you trying to prove by making my brother a vampire?"

The answer to Damon's question came in the form of Stefan grabbing him and pushing him up against a tree, holding him down, his eyes turning black and his fangs extending. "My master is trying to convince you that it's no longer safe for you in Mystic Falls."

Elena and Katherine came outside after they saw what Stefan had done. Rodrigo smirked at the sisters. "So good of you ladies to join us." His smirk widened as he looked at Katherine. "So, Katerina, what do you think of the new and improved Stefan?"

Katherine growled. "You pompous little bastard! I've never hated you as much as I do now!"

Elena saw Damon being pinned against the tree and growled as well. "I knew you were obsessed with trying to reclaim me, Rodrigo, but I never imagined that you'd stoop this low. Release Damon at once!"

"I really do admire your devotion to him, Elena," said Rodrigo. "It's touching. And even a little pathetic. You used to be just as devoted to me. I meant it when I said you would make a fine duchess. I would've given everything. Servants, riches, the finest jewels. You name it, it would've been yours."

"True, but that was then, and this is now," said Elena. "You said to name what I wanted, right? Well, I want you to tell Stefan to let Damon go. Unless you do, you won't like what I'll do to save him."

At first, Rodrigo said nothing, just listened to Elena's speech. Damon listened as well, hoping that this psycho would listen to her, especially if he had any sense of honor at all.

"Stefan, release him."

Stefan looked at his master. "Master?"

"Don't question me, just do it," said Rodrigo. "We'll have another opportunity at this."

Stefan reluctantly released Damon, not sure what this was about. Once he was released, Damon went back to where Elena and Katherine were standing. Katherine didn't see them hug, because she was looking at Stefan. Even though he wasn't exactly himself, deep down, he was still the boy she loved and she was determined to save him from Rodrigo, no matter what it took.

_**Note: Short update, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else to put here. Stay tuned!**_

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	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Rodrigo introduces the newly turned Stefan to our heroes.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews so far, guys! It's because of your support that I've made it to Chapter 15.**_

_Salvatore Boarding House – Later..._

"Let me see if you've got this straight. Stefan is being controlled by this madman who looks like Damon?"

Klaus had a hard time wrapping his mind around the news about Stefan when Elena explained the situation to him. Great, his first official day as the Salvatore brothers' guardian and already, things weren't going in his favor.

"That's right," said Elena. "And what's worse, the man controlling him is also my former lover."

"But, why would he want Stefan?" said Klaus. "The boy did nothing to him. Unless of course he was using him to hurt your sister."

"Partially, yes," said Elena. "Though, his real plan to get Damon to see that it's no longer safe for him in Mystic Falls." She sighed. "Katherine is inconsolable, which is understandable, considering how she had to see the love of her life being forced into doing unspeakable things."

Caroline squeezed Klaus' hand. "Is there any way to help him?"

"I don't know," said Damon. "Rodrigo seems to have quite a hold on him, and it could take some time to get him to snap out of it." He clenched his fist. "I'll say this much, though, if that lunatic thinks he can just use my brother as a pawn in his twisted little game, then he's mistaken."

"This Rodrigo, is he really that powerful?"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it," said Elena. "He once killed a man just for looking at him wrong. Trust me, Klaus, you _don't_ want to miss with him."

_Rodrigo's Hideout – That Same Moment..._

Katherine had a determined look on her face as she arrived at the place that Rodrigo was using as his headquarters. Although she knew that doing this alone was crazy, she didn't give a shit at this point. The only thing concerning her was getting Rodrigo to release Stefan from his grip. She was desperate and there was no telling what she'd do to rescue her beloved.

As she entered, she didn't see anyone at first, but she didn't let that deter her from her mission, especially not when Stefan was depending on her.

"What do you want?"

Stefan's voice startled her out of her reverie and Katherine looked over to see him approaching her. "Stefan, you have to listen to me. Rodrigo is using you. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants and when he does, he'll kill you. I know that you don't want to be his puppet, Stefan. Part of you wants to get free of him."

"Really?" said Stefan. "And what makes you so sure of that? My master is a great man."

"He's anything but great," said Katherine. "You didn't know him five hundred years ago, but Elena and I did, and if I told you half the things we knew about him, you'd think twice before following another one of his orders."

Stefan didn't reply right away, just looked at her and then said, "Touching speech. Do you say that to all the guys?"

Katherine stood her ground, refusing to let what he was saying get to her, because she knew that the Stefan she loved was in there somewhere. Taking a chance, she got closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Stefan."

Not giving him a chance to reply, she kissed him passionately, reaching into her purse and took out a vervain dart, stabbing him with it before pulling away and letting his body fall to the ground at her feet. Sighing quietly, she picked up his unconscious body, throwing it over her shoulder, and carrying it out to her car, checking for any signs of Rodrigo. So far, there was no trace of him anywhere, but she kept her guard up. Once they got to her car, she threw Stefan's unconscious body into the trunk, not wanting to risk Rodrigo seeing him if she put him in the back seat.

"Clever, Katerina. You really would do anything for the boy you love, wouldn't you?"

Katherine growled when she heard Rodrigo's voice and turned to see him standing there. "I won't let you use him as your puppet, you bastard. He may be a new vampire, but deep down, he's still the Stefan I fell in love with."

Rodrigo ignored her growls and smirked. "You know, I think I might be willing to clear up this little misunderstanding, but on one condition."

"And what would that be?"

Rodrigo approached her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her before she could even speak. Katherine, not liking the taste of his lips because she had been accustomed to Stefan's, turned into her cat form and scratched his face, breaking the skin with her claws and drawing blood. Rodrigo stepped away, growling at her.

Katherine returned to her normal form and growled as well. "What the hell was that for, huh? I thought you loved Elena?"

At the mention of Elena, Rodrigo's growl faded into another smirk. "I did, but that didn't mean I couldn't also desire you. You had not only beauty, but you were also wild like a jungle cat."

"You disgust me," said Katherine. "No way in hell would I ever give myself to someone like you. True, Elena and I aren't always on the best of terms, but she's my sister and I would _never_ betray her like that."

"Ah, yes, the Petrova sisters and their unshakable bond," said Rodrigo. "But, just remember, I offered. And that offer still stands in case you change your mind."

Katherine said nothing, just got into her car and drove off, wishing that she could compel herself to forget just what the hell had happened. Still, she was fortunate to have gotten away with Stefan. However, something told her that her escape might have been a little too easy and that Rodrigo had something sinister up his sleeve.

_**Note: Don't ask how or why I came up with the idea for this chapter. Just take it as written. Stay tuned.**_

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	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Katherine goes to rescue Stefan from Rodrigo, not before Rodrigo tries to seduce her.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews so far! You guys are the best!**_

_Basement of Elena & Katherine's House – Later..._

Katherine looked through the bars at the still unconscious Stefan. She had placed him in this cell shortly after returning from Rodrigo's, mainly because she was concerned, not only for her safety, but also for his. That nasty bastard, why the hell did he have to become a vampire? And why did he have to turn Stefan?

"I'm so sorry, Stefan," she said, more to herself than anyone in particular. "I love you so much, and this is the best I can think to keep you safe until I can find a way to get you to feel again. Rodrigo won't let away with what he's done to you."

"What's going on, Katherine?"

Elena's voice startled her and she turned around to see her standing there, Damon at her side. "I didn't hear you come in. I thought you'd still be at Damon's."

"I was," said Elena. "In fact, I convinced Klaus to let me stay over for the night, and we came back here to get my overnight bag. Then, I saw the light in the basement, as well as the basement door being open, and we wondered if you were okay."

"Does it _look_ like I'm okay?" said Katherine. "The boy I love was turned against his will by a monster that was supposed to be dead. So, you'll have to forgive me if I'm not in the best of states right now."

Damon eyed the door behind her curiously. "What's in there, Katherine?"

"Not what, who," said Katherine. "Stefan."

"Stefan?" said Damon. "Why did you lock him up like that?"

"He's...not himself," said Katherine. "Until I can figure out a way to get him to turn his humanity back on, I have to keep him safe and, hard as it is, I decided to keep him locked up."

Damon stepped over to the door and peered in, noticing a plant on the table and scowled at it curiously before looking at Katherine again.

"What kind of plant is that?"

"Vervain."

"Vervain?" said Elena. "Katherine, how the hell did you get vervain?"

"I had an affair with a vampire hunter in the seventeenth century," said Katherine. "He told me all his secrets. When I learned all I could, I killed him. Couldn't very well risk him telling his hunter friends that he had been sleeping with the enemy, now could I?"

Damon listened to this and then looked back through the bars again. "This won't kill him, will it?"

"I only used a small amount," said Katherine. "He's still alive, but he'll be weak for twenty-four hours until he feeds again. It's the large dosage that's lethal. I was careful to only use enough to weaken him. I'm just amazed that Rodrigo didn't suspect that I had vervain on me."

"He probably did know, he just didn't want to make it obvious," said Damon. "Though, I suppose I should thank you for getting Stefan away from him."

"Don't thank me yet," said Katherine. "I still have to appeal to his human emotions. Then, once I've done that, he'll be somewhat back to normal. The only thing different will be that he's a vampire."

Damon nodded. "Still, I'm grateful that you did what you did to rescue him. Granted, it was a bit reckless, but it was worth it."

Elena had a hard time believing that Rodrigo would just let Katherine take Stefan so easily. No, he had to have tricked her into _thinking_ it was that easy and it was only a matter of time before he decided to come back and who knows what kind of plan he had up his sleeve.

Katherine noticed how quiet Elena was. "Penny for your thoughts, sister?"

Elena looked at her. "Just wondering how high a cost this will be. I mean, Rodrigo will be back when we least expect it and try to get Stefan back. And you don't know if your plan to appeal to Stefan's emotions is going to work or not."

"It's still worth a shot," said Katherine. "I'd do anything for Stefan, you know that. You would do anything for Damon, right?"

"Of course," said Elena, "But..."

"But _nothing_, Elena," said Katherine. "I love him, and I don't give a shit what I have to do to get him to feel again. Then, once he's free, we'll come up with a way to rid ourselves of the evil known as Rodrigo di Salvatore."

"I hope you're right about that, Katherine," said Damon, his eyes still on Stefan. "For _all_ our sakes."

Katherine nodded. "I know you're worried about him, Damon, and rightfully so. He's your brother, the only family you have left, so it pains you to see him like this."

Damon nodded as well and then, he stepped back from the door, having seen enough, and headed back upstairs. Elena watched him go and, looking at Katherine one time time, followed after Damon and when she got upstairs, she found him in the parlor, staring at the portrait of Rodrigo on the mantel.

"Damon?"

Damon looked at her. "Turn me."

Elena scowled. "What?"

"You heard me," said Damon. "Turn me. I don't want Stefan to be a vampire alone. If he has to be one, then I want to be one too. I especially want to be with you forever. Why should you be allowed to be young and beautiful for eternity while I'll eventually grow old and die?"

"Damon, you know that I'd gladly do that for you," said Elena. "But, it has to because you _want_ to, not because you _have_ to. Seriously, think about it. Once you decide to turn, you can't change your mind. Believe me, I hated it when I first turned. I didn't want it, but Katherine, the selfish little bitch that she is, turned me anyway." She sighed. "True, you get to live forever, but then you have to watch everyone around you grow old and die, including Caroline and Klaus."

She went over to him and hugged him, kissing him softly. "I love you, Damon."

Damon returned her kiss, pulling her close to him. "I love you too, Elena." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"Don't apologize," said Elena. "You weren't thinking clearly." She sighed again. "If you still want me to turn you, I'll do it when the time is right."

Damon said nothing, just nodded.

_**Note: Thought I'd update, since I'm here. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Katherine tells Damon and Elena that she rescued Stefan from Rodrigo and, until she can appeal to his human emotions, she is keeping him locked up in the basement, and that she has vervain, something she acquired from a vampire hunter she had an affair with in the seventeenth century.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Damon's Room, Salvatore Boarding House – Next Morning..._

Elena watched Damon as he slept, gently stroking his face with her hand. She hated to think that he was going through such hell right now, especially with Stefan being a vampire and locked in the basement of her house, guarded closely by Katherine. Speaking of Katherine, she had a hard time believing that a vampire hunter would be willing to give a vampire knowledge about vervain.

_I'll bet she compelled him during their so-called "affair," and that's how she got the knowledge, _she thought. _Katherine has always been sneaky like that. I only hope that she can appeal to Stefan's human emotions and we can kill Rodrigo before he does any more damage than he's already done._

No sooner did she complete this thought than she heard soft groaning and looked to see Damon toss his head from side to side. Shit, he was having a nightmare. Concerned about her beloved, Elena gently shook him to get him to wake up.

"Damon, wake up," she said. "You're having a bad dream."

At that, Damon gasped and sat up, sweat pouring down his face, drenching his black tank top. Elena watched him carefully, feeling all the emotions that were coming off of him at once. It was as if he didn't know which one to feel first.

Calming himself down a bit, he looked at Elena before wrapping his arms around her. "We have to do something, Elena. We can't let that bastard get away with what's he done."

Elena nodded as she hugged him back. "You have my word, Damon. Rodrigo isn't going to win. I promise you, we'll get through this."

Damon said nothing to that, pulling back slightly to look into Elena's brown eyes with his blue ones. Then, he placed his hands on her face and kissed her passionately. Elena returned his kiss, moaning against his mouth as their tongues collided. When she felt him playing with the hem of her nightie, she pulled away.

"Damon, no. Not like this."

"Please, Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "You're upset. You just had a nightmare. Damon, I..."

"That's why I want this," said Damon. "No, I need this. Elena, I need you. I need your touch. Make it all go away." He kissed her neck. "Take my mind off all this bullshit, even if only for a hour or two."

Elena wanted to protest further, but feeling Damon's lips on her neck made any such protesting impossible. Shit, how could she possibly say no? She could tell from the urgency of his kisses that he needed her, and who was she to deny him of what he wanted?

Wasting not even a second, she pulled him away from her neck and kissed him passionately. Damon returned her kiss, exploring her mouth with his tongue as he pulled her nightie up over head, throwing it on the floor, running his hands up and down her small body, sticking his hands under the band of her panties, caressing her ass. Elena shivered and let out a muffled scream at his touch, apparently liking what she felt. She then pulled his tank top off, throwing it on the floor by her discarded nightie, running her hands across his chest.

Damon moaned against her lips as he felt her hands on his chest, shivering as well. God, the things she could make him feel was beyond amazing. Elena left his lips and trailed kisses from his jawline to his earlobe, down his chest, all the way down to his belly button, licking it playfully with her tongue. Damon groaned as he felt himself getting hard as her tongue made contact with his belly button.

"Oh God, Elena!"

Elena looked up from his belly button, licking her lips at the sound of his pleasurable scream. "You like that, huh? I'm just getting warmed up, my love. The real fun will begin as soon as I remove this." She played with the waist band of his boxers, earning her another groan from him. "I just want to rip these damn things off you, pin you to the mattress, and then tear off my panties and really have my way with you."

Damon panted, the pain from his hard erection causing him to sweat even more than his nightmare did earlier. "So do it."

Elena licked her lips again and, without another word, yanked Damon's boxers off, threw them on the floor, and then grabbed his hands, helping him glide her panties off, after which she slid her core on top of his hard erection, pinning him to the mattress and riding him hard and fast. Damon kept in sync with her gyrations, matching her movements exactly. Elena felt the heat rising as they continued their dance of love and passion.

She also felt herself getting close to the edge and let out a scream of pleasure before her fangs popped out, the smell of Damon's blood tantalizing her nostrils. Her hunger and her love for him consuming her at that moment, Elena sunk her fangs into her lover's neck and gyrated faster as she fed from him. Damon closed his eyes and kept up his movements as he let her feed. Ever since he found out she was a vampire, Damon had become accustomed to this. Hell, he had even learned to love it as much as he loved her.

Elena pulled out a few minutes, not wanting to take too much, and licked up the excess blood, feeling him shiver as she licked the wound. Having let her take the lead long enough, Damon rolled over so that he was on top. No sooner did he change their position than he got an idea. He pulled out of her, rolled her onto her belly, and grabbing her wrists gently, entered her from behind, thrusting into her as fast as his muscles would allow.

Elena grasped onto the sheets, hissing and then screaming out in pleasure, Damon following suit a second later.

_2 Hours Later..._

Elena snuggled up against Damon as they held each other close under the sheets. They had spent the last two hours making love and it was the best two hours of their lives. Damon smiled as he ran his fingers through Elena's hair, enjoying the softness of every strand against his skin.

"Thank you, Elena. That was amazing."

Elena smiled and kissed his chest. "I don't want to take all the credit, love. You were pretty amazing yourself." She kissed his chest again. "Feel better?"

Damon nodded. "I do." He kissed her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, Damon," said Elena. "My love for you is forever."

Damon heard her sigh as she completed that last statement. "What's wrong?"

"I said that exact same thing to Rodrigo."

Damon lifted her chin. "Elena, listen to me. I don't care about your past. Even though I heard about it, that doesn't change how I feel about you. I don't doubt your love for me, and you've never once given me a reason to."

Elena blinked at that. "Really?"

Damon nodded. "Yes. I accept the fact that you were with...him. Just like you accepted that I was with Caroline." He kissed her. "The past doesn't matter to me. Only what's right in front of us now, and what lays ahead, whatever that may be."

Elena smiled against his lips and returned his kiss.

_**Note: Better late than never, huh? Well, hope the wait was worth it, guys!**_

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	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena comforts Damon after he has a nightmare.**_

_**Thank you for your wonderful reviews! You guys are awesome!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – That Same Moment..._

Stefan groaned as he regained consciousness and as his vision cleared, he looked around to see where he was, since the last place he remembered was Rodrigo's hideout. He sprang to his feet when he saw that he was in a basement, and not just any basement, a basement in a familiar house.

"Oh, Stefan, thank God. I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

Stefan turned toward the door and saw Katherine staring back at him. So, that's whose house this was. No wonder it looked familiar to him. However, just because it was familiar to him, that didn't mean he was about to pull Katherine into his arms and kiss her. No, not while he was still loyal to Rodrigo.

"You bitch," he said. "Why the hell are you keeping me in here?"

Katherine opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her and keeping her eyes on him. "I want to help you, Stefan. I'm sorry that I locked you up. Believe me, I didn't want to do it, but it was for your safety, as well as mine."

Stefan scoffed at her apology and looked at the plant that was on the table. "So, that's what the dart you stabbed me with consisted of. My master will be quite curious as to how you had vervain and where you got it." He looked at Katherine again. "Tell me, Katherine, what's your plan?"

"Appeal to your emotions and get you to feel again," said Katherine. "You may have changed, but you're still the Stefan I fell in love with. The Stefan that I was willing to turn myself had that arrogant asshole not forced it on you."

Stefan growled. "Don't you dare speak about him like that. My master..."

"It's true, Stefan," said Katherine. "Rodrigo is insane. Hell, he was even insane when he was a human and it manifested when he was turned."

Stefan barely heard her. He was looking toward her neck, her blood smelling appetizing to him. He was hungry, the vervain having weakened him, and he was looking for something to satisfy his hunger, even if he had to get it from Katherine.

Katherine noticed the look in his eyes and knew what it meant. He wanted blood. She pulled out a blood bag from behind her back and threw it toward him. Stefan caught it effortlessly and, keeping his eyes on her, opened it and began drinking from it.

Katherine watched him carefully, ready to defend herself if he came at her. He was a new vampire and, having been around for over five hundred years, she was stronger and could easily overpower him. That thought didn't sit too well with her, since she didn't want to hurt him. However, because he wasn't himself, Katherine knew she would have to if push came to shove, and that's what really stung.

Stefan finished the blood in the bag within seconds, tossed it aside, and licked his lips as he looked at Katherine. While satisfying, the blood in the bag wasn't enough. He was still hungry and, not caring that she was stronger than him, Stefan vamp sped over to her, grabbed her, and forced her to the ground.

However, Katherine kicked him in the groin and, while he was screaming in agony, she grabbed him by the wrists and pinned him to the wall, her fangs bared.

"I hated to do that to you, Stefan, but you forget that I'm stronger than you," she said. "Why can't you see that I'm trying to help you? You're better than this." She kissed him roughly, tasting the blood that was still on his lips. "Damn it, Stefan, feel something, anything. You love me, I know you do."

Stefan felt her forced kisses and his first instinct was to push her away, but found it difficult. Shit, what was this power that she had over him? Against his will, he kissed her back just as rough, breathing in her scent as they continued to kiss. Katherine moaned against his mouth as their tongues collided and, still holding his wrists, she guided his hands down to her waist. Stefan felt his cock responding the second his hands touched her waist and pushed her off him, retreating to a corner.

Katherine panted as she looked at him. "You were so close, Stefan. I could feel your love for me flowing through you."

"You foolish bitch," said Stefan. "Did you think that it was easy as that to get me to feel again?"

"I will get you to feel again," said Katherine. "You love me, it's burning you as we speak. Rodrigo can't control you forever. Little by little, his influence on you will slip and you'll be back with me again. Just remember how good it felt to kiss me and that should be enough to free you."

Stefan growled. What was wrong with her? Why was it so important to her that he turned his humanity on? Didn't she realize that she was fighting a lost cause?

"I don't care what you feel for me," he said. "You can play your little game as much you'd like, but it won't do you any good."

"I won't give up on you, Stefan," said Katherine. "Not when I know that the real you is in there."

Not giving Stefan a chance to reply, she exited the cell, shutting the door behind her and went to the cooler to get a blood bag. She felt her hatred for Rodrigo intensify as she walked. Who did that asshole think he was anyway, trying to come between her and the boy she loved? What she wouldn't give to run a stake through his black heart and watch as he died at her feet.

"You won't win, Rodrigo," she said to herself. "I _will_ free Stefan from your control, no matter what it takes."

_**Note: Merry Christmas, guys! Thought I'd update, since it's been a while since I did. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Katherine makes a first attempt at getting through to Stefan.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews so far! You guys are awesome! Bear with me, I just got the idea for this last night.**_

_Rodrigo's Hideout..._

Caroline groaned as she opened her eyes, coughing as she inhaled the stench of blood around her. She didn't know where she was or how she got here, because the last place she remembered being was her room back at her house. As her vision cleared, she discovered that she was in what looked like an abandoned building. She went to move, but she found her that her movement was restricted. Turning around, she saw that her hands were tied behind her back.

"Well, look who's awake. Good, it would be a shame if you missed out on what I've got planned for you."

Caroline gasped as she heard a voice and looked around to see who was speaking. "Who's there? Who are you?"

Rodrigo stepped out of the shadows. "Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Rodrigo di Salvatore."

Caroline had to blink at that. Was it her imagination or did this guy look just like Damon? Then, it dawned on her. "You're Elena's ex, the guy who turned Stefan into a vampire." She scowled. "That doesn't explain why you brought me here, wherever the hell that is."

Rodrigo smirked at her, approaching her and kneeling next to her. "Oh, your purpose is quite simple. You see, I'm getting bored with thinking of a plan to get Stefan back from your friends." He brushed some of her hair back from her neck, exposing it. "Not to mention hungry. Your blood is smelling really good right about now."

Caroline felt her heart hammer at those words. Shit, he was planning on taking her blood. Tears stung her eyes as she looked at him. "Please, I beg you, don't hurt me. Let me go. I'll do whatever you want, just have mercy."

"I find your begging to be as delicious as your blood, _cara mia_," said Rodrigo, running a finger across her neck. "I like it when my victims beg. It makes the game so much more fun that way. It was one of the many things I enjoyed most as a human. As a count during the fifteenth century, one of my many pleasures was torturing prisoners."

Caroline really started to panic now as she struggled against her bonds. The rope cut through her skin, but they refused to budge. Rodrigo chuckled at this and licked his lips as he could hear her blood coursing through her. Oh, she was going to make a rather excellent victim.

His hunger getting the better of him, he grabbed her roughly and straddled her to keep her from moving. Once he had her steady, he extended his fangs, scraping one against her skin before biting into her. Caroline went to scream, but he placed one of his hands over her mouth, muffling any further screaming. Rodrigo growled hungrily as he continued to feed from her. The little blonde had very tasty blood indeed.

_She shall make a very good blood bag for me,_ he thought. _There may be plenty of humans here in this pathetic little town that I could feast on, but my doppelganger's former love has blood that tastes as good to my taste buds as her scent does to my nose._

After he finished feeding, Rodrigo pulled back and made her look him in the eye, his hand still on her mouth. "Listen very carefully, Caroline. You belong to me. When I summon you, you shall come to me and give me your blood."

He took out his dagger and cut the ropes binding her wrists. "I'm going to let you go. When you return home, tell no one, not even that art teacher you're dating, where you've been. No one is to know about this. Do you understand?" He removed his hand from her mouth. "Do you understand me?"

Caroline nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Yes."

Rodrigo smiled. "There's a good little girl." He removed a scarf from his pocket and tied it around her neck. "This shall keep your friends from finding out about your activities." He stood up, taking her hand and helping her up. "Come, my beauty, let's get you home."

_**Note: Short update, I know, but my thought process is kind of shot and this is all I can really provide at the moment. I wanted another way to up the ante a bit, having remembered Damon used Caroline for her blood in Season 1. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Rodrigo kidnaps Caroline to use her for her blood.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House..._

Stefan paced the floor of the cell, growling angrily. How long did Katherine think her little game was going to last before she realized that her plan to get him to love her again was stupid? Honestly, he wished she would give up while she was ahead?

He was still pacing when his cell phone rang. Stefan stopped walking and took the phone out of his pocket, looking at the ID. He saw Rodrigo's number and a wave of both relief and disappointment washed over him. Relief for finally hearing from his master, and disappointment that he hadn't heard from him prior to this. He pressed "Send" and placed the phone to his ear.

"I was hoping to hear from you hours ago."

"Did you think that I'd forget about you, Stefan? Honestly, I thought you had more faith in your master than that," he replied. "You'll be relieved to know that I have been planning a way to get you out."

"I sense a 'but' in there, Rodrigo," said Stefan. "What's the delay?"

"You could say that I had a little friend over for dinner last night," said Rodrigo. "One Caroline Forbes, the pretty little blonde that Damon dated before he met Elena. Her blood tasted divine, Stefan. You would've loved sampling it."

"You do realize that Elena isn't stupid, right?" said Stefan. "She's going to find out that you're using Caroline for her blood and she'll come after you. That is, if Katherine doesn't find you first."

"Ah, yes, Katerina," said Rodrigo. "Still gnawing away on that bone about getting you to feel again, is she?"

"Unfortunately, yes," said Stefan. "I can't seem to get her to understand that she's chasing a lost cause." He sighed. "Did you know that she has had a supply of vervain this whole time? I may have been out cold, but I heard that she got it from a vampire hunter she had an affair with in the seventeenth century."

"I do, actually," said Rodrigo. "I'll say this for Katerina, she certainly has a plenty of tricks up her sleeve, especially when it comes to the boy she loves."

"So, what do you suggest I do while I wait for you to show up here and rescue me?"

"Continue to resist Katerina and her attempts to appeal to your humanity," said Rodrigo. "She can try to convince you that the boy she fell in love with still lives within you, but you and I both know that he died the night I turned you."

Stefan nodded and hung up. He wondered what sort of plan Rodrigo had to get him out and if he really _could_ continue to resist Katherine. Part of him wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her the way he did when he was human, and the other part, the part that was loyal to Rodrigo, was telling him to fight it, to fully give in.

_Mystic Falls High School – That Same Moment..._

Elena tapped her finger on the table while she waited for Damon to get his lunch. She thought back to the scene in his room this morning, when she had helped him feel better after the nightmare he had. She wished that there was a way to save Stefan from Rodrigo's hold. Well, there _was_, but she wasn't sure if she should, especially since her love for Damon was so strong. Could she live with herself if she went to Rodrigo and offered herself to him in exchange for freeing Stefan? Damon may have said he accepted the fact that Elena had been with Rodrigo in the past, but would he still love her if she did what she was planning to do?

She was still waiting for him when she saw Caroline walk in. As she watched her, Elena couldn't help but detect that something was a bit off about the blonde. She seemed...different, but not in a good way. No, this was a bad different. For one thing, she had a very peculiar smell to her, and wore a scarf around her neck.

_Something's not right here,_ she thought. _Caroline normally doesn't smell like this, and she certainly doesn't wear a scarf around her neck. I have a feeling that Rodrigo had something to do with it. Thing is, why go after Caroline? Unless he was planning to hurt Damon by targeting his ex-girlfriend._

"What's wrong, Elena?"

Damon's voice brought Elena out of her reverie just then. "I'm not sure, but I think there's something a little off about Caroline. You didn't happen to notice any change in her while you were practicing on the football field, did you?"

"Well, I did notice that she was a bit perkier than usual," said Damon. "I even noticed that she was a bit...I don't know, aggressive with the cheerleaders, yelling at them and even pushed one of them. The Caroline I know would never do that, not even if she was pissed about something." He raised an eyebrow. "You know what happened, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," said Elena. "Rodrigo got to her. He must be using her for his own personal gain."

"You think he's using her to hurt me?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," said Elena. "He's already using Stefan to hurt Katherine, so there's a good chance he's using Caroline to hurt you."

Damon nodded. Rodrigo had been nothing but trouble since he arrived in Mystic Falls, and he had no doubt that whatever he was using Caroline for, it wasn't anything good. Then again, it was _never_ good with that son of a bitch involved.

_**Note: I couldn't think of anything else to put here, so I'm going to end Chapter 20 here. **_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Rodrigo contacts Stefan and tells him what he's planning. Meanwhile, Damon and Elena notice that Caroline is acting strangely.**_

_**Thank you for all the reviews, guys! You're awesome! I've had an idea for this chapter for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to using it. Now that I'm here, I'm going to use it. No spoilers, just follow me.**_

_Mystic Falls High School..._

Klaus walked into the locker room and looked around. He had gotten a text message from Caroline, telling him to meet her here. He wasn't sure what was going on. In the time he had known her, they had never been intimate during school hours. Their private moments were usually at his mansion.

"Caroline? Are you in here, love?"

"I'm here, Klaus. Follow my voice and you'll find me."

Still not sure what was going on, but feeling his cock respond to the sexy tone in her voice, Klaus followed it to the shower area, where he saw her standing there, dressed only in a black lacy bra and matching panties. Klaus couldn't help but lick his lips at the sight of it, even though part of him wanted to back away while it was still safe.

"When your text told me to meet you here, I never expected that it would be for this."

Caroline smiled. "So? We've been intimate before."

"Yes, we have," said Klaus. "But, we never did anything like this before."

"I'm not afraid of getting caught," said Caroline. "True, the mansion is our playground, but I wanted to add another place to that list." She approached him and then pushed him up against one of the lockers. "Indulge me a little?"

Klaus wanted to protest, but found that it was difficult with her body pressing itself against him so eagerly. He pulled her to him and kissed her roughly. Caroline kissed him back just as rough as she slid his jacket off and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Klaus then reached behind her and undid the clasps of her bra, throwing on the floor with his discarded jacket and shirt. Caroline reached down to undo the button and zipper on his jeans, pulling them and his boxers down while he pulled her panties down.

Once completely naked, they went into the shower, where Caroline turned on the water and let it cascade down their bodies as they began their naughty act, hormones flaring every which way.

_Meanwhile..._

Damon and Elena arrived at the door to the locker room, where Elena's vampire hearing picked up the sound of water and Caroline's moans. Shit, that meant she was in there and with Klaus. But, that didn't make any sense at all. Elena raised an eyebrow as she looked at Damon.

"Okay, this is definitely weird. Why would Caroline and Klaus be having sex in the locker room when they can't be together during school hours?"

"I know," said Damon. "Caroline was never this horny when we were together. Don't get me wrong, we did have sex, but not on school grounds. We had our own private places where we'd go to be alone. I assumed that Caroline and Klaus had_ their _special place as well."

"So did I," said Elena. "Now, I'm really sure that Rodrigo had a hand in this. He did something to Caroline that's causing this behavior." She sighed. "Damon, we have to get to the bottom of this. If we don't do something, not only will Caroline get into trouble, but Klaus will too."

"You're right," said Damon. "But, how are we going to get Caroline to realize how dangerous this is?"

"We confront her about it in private."

"And if she denies it?"

"We get firm with her," said Elena. "I'm concerned about her, Damon. And I know you are too, since you two are friends."

Damon nodded. He wasn't sure just what Rodrigo was up to, but he couldn't let him hurt Caroline in the process. _Especially_ not for the sake of revenge.

_**Note: Short update, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else to add. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Caroline and Klaus have a steamy interlude in the shower while Damon and Elena listen outside the door.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, guys! I know that I haven't updated in a while (the last time being March 8), but I thought I'd treat you to an update. No spoilers, just read along.**_

_Somewhere Outside of Mystic Falls – That Evening..._

Elena maintained a steady speed as she followed Caroline's car. She and Damon had tried to reason with the blonde earlier, but it didn't go very well, even though they had been firm with her. Damon had a worried look on his face, wondering if their plan to stop her was going to work. They had seen just how sinister and dangerous Rodrigo could be and there was no telling what he'd do to prevent them from succeeding in their mission.

"Damon, I want you to promise me something."

Her voice cut through the silence and Damon looked at her. "What is it, Elena?"

"I want you to promise me that no matter what happens after tonight, you'll still love me."

"Elena, I'll never stop loving you, you know that," said Damon. "Why? What are you planning?"

"Something that I'm not going to be proud of," said Elena. "In order to save both Stefan and Caroline from Rodrigo, I'm...I'm going to give myself to him."

Damon was shocked into silence by her reply. He knew what she meant by that, even though she had tried to hide the meaning. She was going to sleep with Rodrigo in exchange for releasing Caroline and Stefan from his control. While he admired her bravery, at the same time, he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of that monster's hands on his girlfriend's body, even if only for a night.

He looked at how she was dressed. "I guess that explains the outfit. Elena, you don't have to do this. We can save them another way. It's me he's really after, so why not use me?"

"I'm not going to do that, Damon," said Elena. "I'm not going to sacrifice you, not even for Stefan and Caroline. No, I have to do this. In addition to being after you, Rodrigo is also looking to get me to love him the way I did five hundred years ago." She sighed. "I'm not going to admit it to him, no matter how hard he pushes."

Again, Damon said nothing as he listened to her. He waited until she stopped the car before pulling her to him in a deep and tender kiss. Elena returned the kiss and brought her hand up to touch his cheek.

They broke the kiss after a few minutes and Damon said, "I love you, Elena Pierce. No matter what happens tonight, I won't think less of you. Do what you have to do to save Stefan and Caroline."

Elena nodded. She knew that Damon loved her deeply and in that moment, she also knew that he'd keep his promise to still love her after what she was going to do tonight. She kissed him again and pulled away when she saw Caroline getting out of her car, heading toward the entrance of Rodrigo's hideout. Not wasting a moment, Elena got out and went after her, Damon following behind her. He had faith in Elena to do what she had to do, even though it was something she wasn't going to be proud of.

Caroline was half way to the door when Elena appeared in front of her, a stern look plastered on her face. The blonde blinked at this, not sure what was going on.

"Elena? What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" the brunette vampire replied. "I'm saving you. I know what Rodrigo is doing to you and I'm putting a stop to it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Caroline. "Rodrigo isn't hurting me."

"Yes, he is," said Elena. "He's using you, and when he's done with you, he'll kill you. Either that or he'll turn you, making you his servant for eternity. Klaus already lost one girlfriend, and I'm not about to let him lose another."

Caroline tried to get past her, but Elena grabbed her and made her look her in the eye. "Sleep, and when you wake up, you will forget what happened here."

After Caroline had been compelled into sleeping, Damon caught her as she fell back, lifting her up bridal style. Looking at Elena, he said, "I'll take her home. What should I tell her when she wakes up?"

"Just tell her that she had stayed late after school to work on a project and that she called you to pick her up," she replied. "I know that it sounds like a lie, but as long as she doesn't remember what happened here, it won't matter."

Damon nodded and before he walked away, Elena kissed him again and watched him as he walked back to Caroline's car, putting her into the back seat before getting into the driver's side, starting the engine and driving away. Once they were gone, Elena sighed and walked into Rodrigo's hideout. It was dimly lit, but because Elena's eyesight was so advanced, she had no trouble seeing.

"Well, well, look who came stumbling into my lair." Rodrigo emerged from the shadows. "Hello, Elena. To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing your lovely face this evening?"

Elena stayed stoic as she replied, "As much as I hated to do this, Rodrigo, I came to make you a deal."

"A deal, you say?" said Rodrigo. "What kind of deal?"

"Release Caroline and Stefan and I'll give you what you've wanted since you came to Mystic Falls."

"You'd give yourself to me in exchange for releasing Caroline and Stefan?" said Rodrigo. "I must say, Elena, I'm impressed. How does my doppleganger feel about this? Last I heard, you were so madly in love with him that very idea of coming back to me disgusted you."

"He promised that he'd still love me," said Elena. "He said that no matter what happens here tonight, he wouldn't think less of me."

"That's very noble of him," said Rodrigo. "Letting the lady vampire he loves give herself to the one who killed his uncle in order to save his brother and ex-girlfriend." He approached Elena and circled her, licking his lips. "I guess there's only one thing to do, and that's to get things started."

Before Elena could say anything, Rodrigo attacked her lips and pulled her to him, letting his hands caress her body. Elena reluctantly returned his kiss and ran her hands up and down his body, shivering as her fingers made contact with the fabric of his shirt. Rodrigo left her lips to kiss her jawline down to her neck, untying the belt on her coat and undoing the buttons, slipping it off as he got the last button opened, pulling back to see what she was wearing: a black halter dress that left nothing to the imagination.

"I'm going to enjoy this."

"Shut up," she replied, a growl to her voice. "Just...shut up and let's get this over with."

"Ah, impatient, are we?" said Rodrigo. "Well then, what kind of a man would I be if I didn't give a lady what she wants?"

That being said, he vamp sped them over to the wall, kissing her roughly and reaching behind her to untie the back of her dress and pulling it off her while Elena ripped his shirt open and slipped it off, throwing it on the floor with her discarded coat and dress. He then took them to his bedroom, where he deposited Elena gently on the bed and followed after her, kissing her as roughly as before. Elena returned his kiss and reached for the belt of his pants, loosening it before going for the button and zipper and yanking them off and tossing them on the floor while Rodrigo pulled down her panties.

Once they were completely naked, Rodrigo held Elena's hands above her head as he plunged his throbbing cock into her core, thrusting hard and fast into her. Elena gyrated her hips against his thrusts, keeping in sync with his thrusts.

_Caroline's Room, Forbes Family Home – That Same Moment..._

Damon sat in a chair by Caroline's bed and watched her sleep. He had gotten her home in less than an hour and, not about to leave her alone, stayed with her. As he waited for her to wake up, he thought about Elena. He knew for a fact that she was with that monster, Rodrigo, and in that moment, he hated himself for letting her go through with it. However, he reminded himself that he had made a promise that he would still love her after what she did.

He was still thinking about her when he heard Caroline softly moan, looking at her. "Caroline?"

The blonde opened her eyes and saw Damon sitting by her bed. "What the hell happened?"

Remembering what Elena had told him to say, he replied, "You called me to pick you up because you stayed late after school to work on a project." _I know I switched the wording around, but I still told her what Elena told me to tell her._

"Oh," said Caroline. "It must have been quite a project if I stayed that late." She smiled. "Thank you, Damon, for bringing me home. You're a great friend."

"No problem, Care," said Damon. "I wouldn't leave you hanging, you know that."

"I know you wouldn't," said Caroline. "You have a good heart."

Damon smiled at her words and took her hand, squeezing it, placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles. Her words were a comfort to him in that moment, although he was worried about Elena.

_**Note: Don't ask where the idea for this came from, just take it as it's written. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena compels Caroline and gives herself to Rodrigo.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews! You guys are awesome!**_

_Elena & Katherine's House – Next Day..._

Katherine walked down to the basement and went to the cooler, taking out two blood bags, one for her and one for Stefan. She had had a rather restless night last night, her thoughts and emotions keeping her awake. No matter what, she believed that the boy she loved still existed and that she could save him. When she reached the cell, she looked into the window and saw Stefan sitting with his back against the wall. A small smile on her face, Katherine stuck her hand through the barred window and tossed the blood bag into the cell. Stefan caught it and opened it, drinking from it as he watched her.

"Let me guess, you still intend on getting me to feel?"

"You know I'm not going to stop until you do, Stefan," she replied. "I love you, and I know that you love me too." She opened the door and slowly walked in, closing the door behind her upon entry, kneeling next to him. "The boy I love is still in there, and I don't care what I have to do to free him."

Stefan was about to answer when his senses alerted him to another presence. "You've got company, Katherine."

Katherine felt the same presence and, excusing herself from Stefan, went upstairs, where she detected the salty smell of tears, as well as the sound of sobbing. She followed it until she got to the study, where she saw Elena sitting on the sofa, crying while pouring herself a glass of bourbon.

"Elena?"

The brunette vampire turned and looked at her sister. "Katherine, I did the most horrible thing. I...I slept with Rodrigo."

"You what?" said Katherine. "But, why? I thought you hated him?"

"I do, believe me, I do," said Elena. "I slept with him in exchange for releasing Stefan and Caroline."

Katherine blinked. "Wait, I get the part about releasing Stefan, but what does Caroline have to do with it? Rodrigo wasn't even interested in her."

Elena sniffed. "He was using her for blood. Damon and I tried to tell her that he was hurting her, but she didn't listen to reason, so I compelled her."

"Oh God," said Katherine. "I knew Rodrigo was evil, but I never thought he'd stoop that low." She ran a hand through her hair. "Does Damon know you did this?"

"Yes, he does," said Elena. "He even promised that he'd still love me after what I did."

Katherine nodded. "I'm going to call him. You look like you can use his love right about now." She looked at the bourbon in the glass in front of her sister. "You're not going to get that in a bottle of bourbon."

Not waiting for her to respond, Katherine took Elena's phone, dialed Damon's number and waited patiently for him pick up. On the third ring, she heard his voice on the other end.

"Elena?"

"No, it's Katherine."

"Katherine? Why are you using Elena's phone?" said Damon. "Is she okay?"

"I think you should let her tell you that herself." Katherine handed Elena the phone. "Talk to him, Elena. It'll help you."

Elena took the phone from her and sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Damon?"

"Elena, what's wrong?" he replied. "You sound like you've been crying."

"Oh God, Damon, I feel like I did the worst thing imaginable by going to Rodrigo," said Elena. "He made me feel so dirty, and not in a good way. He didn't smell as good as you do, and he was rough with me." She sobbed. "I felt like I was being tortured."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at home," said Elena. "I left Rodrigo's just before dawn. I didn't want to spend another minute in that horrible place."

"I'm coming over," said Damon. "You obviously need me, I can tell from your voice."

"You really don't have to do that."

"I want to, Elena," said Damon. "I love you and I don't want you to be in pain." He cut her off before she could protest further. "Don't argue with me, just sit tight and I'll be there in about five minutes."

Elena hung up and placed her phone down on the coffee table, picking up the glass of bourbon and swigging it. Katherine watched her and walked over to the couch, sitting next to her and pulling her into a hug.

"We'll figure this out, Elena," she said. "Even though we haven't exactly been on the best of terms, you're still my sister and I love you."

"I know," her sister replied. "I love you too, Katherine."

_Five Minutes Later..._

Five minutes later, as promised, Damon arrived at Elena's house and walked in to see Katherine and Elena hugging on the couch. Shit, that bastard must've really hurt her if they were hugging each other like that. The two women sensed him behind them and looked up to see him.

"I got here as fast as I could."

Katherine nodded and stood up. "Thank you, Damon. Elena needs you right now, especially after what went down between her and Rodrigo last night."

Then, without a word to either of them, she went back downtairs to continue what she was doing for Stefan. Once she was gone, Damon sat down on the couch next to Elena, hugging her and kissed her softly. His poor angel, the pain she must have experienced.

"God, this was my fault," he whispered. "I shouldn't have let you go in."

"Damon, no, this wasn't your fault," said Elena. "It was my fault. It was my plan, so I'm the one who should be feeling guilty, not you. I appreciate that you want to take all the blame, but this was all me, Damon."

"I know, but still, I let you go in there."

"And you also promised that you'd still love me after what went down last night."

"That's why I feel so bad," said Damon. "I love you, Elena. You mean everything to me."

Elena smiled and then reached up to capture his lips in a deep kiss. Damon returned her kiss, moaning against her mouth as their tongues collided.

_**Note: On that note, I shall end Chapter 7. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!  
**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story belongs to me.**

_**Note: Previously, in "True Love Never Dies," Elena comes back from her night with Rodrigo and is comforted by Katherine and Damon.**_

_**Wow, hard to believe that it's been a year since I started this story (it was posted on here on April 20, 2012), so today, I'm going to update as a one-year anniversary celebration. Thank you for the great reviews and for accompanying me on this journey. I couldn't have made it this far without fans like you!**_

_**LET'S GET DOWN TO IT!**_

_Mystic Falls High School – Several Months Later..._

Elena eyed the poster on the bulletin board very curiously. She had been hearing about the prom for weeks now, but since she had never been to one, she wasn't sure what it entailed. She had been to balls and parties over the centuries, but a prom was whole different animal, in a matter of speaking. Though, to get a better understanding of it, she would have to ask Damon.

Speaking of, she sensed that she wasn't alone anymore and when she looked, she saw him standing next to her, obviously looking at the same thing she was looking at.

"I see the posters have drawn you to them as well."

"I _was_ a bit curious," she replied. "I have to be honest, though, Damon. I've never been to a prom before. I've been to balls and parties over the centuries, but I've never been to a prom."

"Really?" said Damon. "Well, maybe I can fix that for you." He smiled. "Would you like to go to the prom with me?" He saw the look on her face. "Come on, Elena, it'll be fun. It might not be the same as those balls and parties you used to attend back in the day, but once you give it a chance, you'll have a great time."

Elena looked at the poster again and then back at Damon, smiling. "I guess I could give it a chance. I mean, just because I'm a vampire, that doesn't mean I can't have fun." Her smile faded. "I don't have a dress."

"Did I hear that someone doesn't have a dress for the prom?"

Elena looked over to see Caroline coming toward the couple, a smile on her face. The brunette vampire then nodded and replied, "Yeah, Caroline, I don't have a dress. I mean, Katherine probably has something I could borrow, but I'd hate to resort to that."

"I'm going shopping after school," said Caroline. "Maybe I can help you find the perfect dress for you. That way, you won't have to ask your sister if you could use one of her dresses." She looked at Elena's hair, another smile on her face. "Maybe you can even get a hot new haircut while we're at it."

Elena picked up a few strands of her hair. She had been so used to it being the way it was for over five hundred years, so she was a bit hesitant about changing it. Of course, since she was going to be giving the prom a try, what harm would changing her hair do? She might even like it.

"I think that's a great idea," said Damon. "Caroline has a keen eye when it comes to fashion, so I'll bet she'll find a dress that will look absolutely perfect on you." He ran his fingers through her hair. "And I'd definitely like to see how your hair will look once you get that hot new haircut Caroline mentioned."

"Perfect," said Caroline. "I look forward to it." She smiled again. "Gotta run, see you later."

Then, she walked away from Damon and Elena, heading straight for the art room, where she found Klaus hard at work on what looked like a new painting. She smiled at it in admiration, having found his work to be fascinating. She slowly closed the door behind her and walked further into the room, taking a seat in one of the desks in the front. Klaus took a quick glance behind him and smiled at her.

"Caroline, my love, I was just thinking about you."

"Really?" she replied. "That's funny, because I was thinking about you too. It's got to be the ESP that couples aquire the longer they're together." She licked her lips. "So, I guess you've heard about the prom?"

"Are you kidding? The prom is all I've been hearing about for weeks," said Klaus. "In fact, I think a few of the girls in one of my later classes have tried to ask me to go with them." He saw the look on her face. "I refused them, of course, because I'd rather go with you."

Caroline felt her jaw go slack and then quickly closed it again. "Wait, how did you know that I was going to ask you to go to the prom with me?"

"It's as you said, love, ESP."

Caroline laughed at that and looked at the painting. "I like your new painting, Klaus."

"Thank you," he replied. "I've been working on it for a while now and thankfully, I have a free period, so I was able to do it undisturbed." He cleared his throat. "Caroline, I'd like to paint you again, since I enjoyed it the last time."

"The last time you painted me, we had sex on the chaise lounge."

"All the more reason I enjoyed it," said Klaus. "_You_ enjoyed it too, come to think of it." He smiled. "What do you say, love? Would you pose for me again?"

Caroline smiled, licking her lips again. "You know I'd never refuse that. I'll pose for you again."

Klaus put down the brush and went over to her, pulled her out of her seat, and kissed her, caressing her with his hands and his cock responding to the heat between them, pulling away reluctantly to gaze into her blue eyes with his greenish blue ones.

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"I do," she replied. "I love you too." She kissed him again. "I'd better go before we do what we did in the shower."

Klaus nodded and after kissing her one more time, he watched her leave. He was definitely looking forward to dancing with her tonight at the prom, and maybe have some sexy time with her at the after party that was being held at the Salvatore house.

_After School..._

Caroline smiled at Elena as they walked into the dress shop. She was definitely looking forward to this, probably even more than the brunette vampire was at the moment. She put her arm around her.

"Elena, will you relax? You're going to look beautiful, I promise. Damon isn't going to be able to take his eyes off you all night. But, that's good, because you want him to pay attention to you."

"I'm trying to relax," she replied. "Don't forget, I've..."

"Never been to a prom before, yes, you made that clear earlier," said Caroline. "That's why I insisted that I take you shopping. It should help you get over any fears you may have." She pulled a dress off the rack and gave it to Elena. "Oh, this would look hot on you. Here, try it on."

Elena looked at the dress that Caroline had given her. It was a black strapless dress with shimmery fabric all around. Sighing, she went to the fitting room to try it on. Once inside, she slipped out of her clothes and bra, putting on the dress before stepping out and standing in front of the mirror. Caroline, who was looking for a great dress for herself, saw it as she came by.

"Oh my God, Elena, you look hot!"

Elena smiled at the blonde while looking at her through the mirror. "You really think so?"

"Oh, yeah, I _know_ so," said Caroline. "If you want, I can have them press it for you and you can pick it up later."

Elena nodded. "Okay." She turned around and saw that Caroline had picked out a rather beautiful white mermaid dress that was also strapless with beading and jewels. "Is that the dress you're wearing for Klaus?"

"You bet your hot ass it is," said Caroline. "I'm just going to go try it on."

Elena smiled and went to the fitting room to change back into her regular clothes while Caroline went to try on the dress she picked. She couldn't believe it, but she was actually going to go to her first prom, and her date was none other than Damon Salvatore himself, which was going to make this the best experience she ever had.

She came out just as Caroline was and gasped at the beauty of the dress that the blonde wore. If this wouldn't knock Klaus for a loop, she didn't know _what_ would. Once the girls had their dresses and told the tailors to press them, they went to the beauty salon a few blocks down, where Elena would be getting her new haircut.

Caroline went to the receptionist and gave her a smile. "Hi, Jules."

The receptionist, named Jules, smiled back. "Good afternoon, Caroline. What can I do for you?"

"I'm here get my hair and make-up done for the prom," said Caroline. "My friend would like the same." She presented the coupon that she had gotten recently. "I'd like to use this coupon for it."

Jules nodded. "You two are in luck, because Dean and Trevor just got cancellations."

Elena was about to ask who Dean and Trevor were when she saw them coming toward her. "I take it these are the guys that will working on us?"

"You bet," said Dean. "And I think I'll take you while Trevor does your friend." He took Elena's hand and escorted her to his chair, sitting her down. "My, my, my, you have gorgeous hair. It's so smooth and silky."

"I want to cut it, but not too short."

"Oh, I see, you want a long cut," said Dean. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of you." He played with her hair a bit. "You know what would look super hot? Some highlights. How about some pink?"

Elena blinked. Pink highlights? She remembered seeing that in the 1980s, along with the big hair that was all the rage. "That would be nice. I think that would drive my boyfriend crazy when he picks me up for the prom."

Trevor smiled. "Excellent. Now, just sit back, relax, let me work my magic."

_Elena & Katherine's House – That Evening..._

Elena looked at herself in the mirror in her room, smiling at her reflection. She liked her new haircut and her dress, and knew that Damon would definitely like it too. Katherine, who just happened to be walking past her sister's room, caught sight of what Elena was wearing and walked in.

"Elena, is that you?"

"Yes, sister, it's me," she replied, picking up the hem of her skirt and twirling around. "How do I look?"

Katherine circled her and nodded. "Very nice. So, where are you going all dressed up?"

"The prom," said Elena. "Caroline helped me find this dress." She removed a hand from her skirt and ran it through her hair. "I also got a great new haircut."

Katherine nodded again. "I was wondering when you were going to change your hair again. The last time you cut your hair was in the 1920s, when you worked in that speakeasy in Chicago. I must say, you looked nice with short hair."

Elena smiled. "Thank you, Katherine. You know, you can come too, if you'd like."

"Seriously?" said Katherine. "Elena, I don't even go to your school."

"It'll get you out of the house," said Elena. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Katherine wanted to protest, but found that it would be worthless to even try, so she sighed heavily and exited her sister's room to go find a suitable dress for the evening. No sooner did she leave than the doorbell rang. Elena went downstairs to see who it was, holding onto the hem of her skirt to keep from tripping. She opened the door and was greeted by Damon's smiling face on the other side. He smiled even more when saw her dress and hair.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she replied. "You look great yourself." She cleared her throat. "Oh, and Katherine's coming with us. She's just getting changed." Curiously, she added, "How has Stefan been since he was released?"

"Okay, I guess," said Damon. "I keep a blood supply in the basement of the boarding house so that he can learn to control his cravings." He looked behind him and saw Stefan getting out of the car and coming up the walk. "I talked him into coming to the prom with us, because it would be better for him."

Elena nodded and when she saw Stefan, she smiled at him. He looked handsome in the suit he was wearing. He seemed to be more like himself, even if he was still a vampire. "Ready to make some memories, Stefan?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. "I just hope that I don't accidentally eat the Prom King."

"That's why Katherine is going with us," said Elena. "She'll keep an eye on you. Besides, this will give you two a chance to reconnect a little, since your relationship was interrupted by Rodrigo."

"Speaking of, I hope that bastard doesn't interfere with our plans tonight," said Damon. "The last thing I need is some bloodthirsty ancient vampire attacking my classmates because he's bored and needs to cause some mayhem."

Elena was about to reply when Katherine was seen coming downstairs. She was wearing a red gown that made her look like she was going to an Oscar party rather than a prom. When Stefan saw her, he smiled. God, he missed her and was grateful that she had succeeded in getting him to turn his emotions on again. Once she was downstairs and both sisters got their corsages from their dates, they exited the house, heading to the car that would take them to the prom.

_**Note: I decided to have the prom take place in the next chapter. I would've included it here, but this chapter is already long enough. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


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